With all the talk of contracts and finances, it could be forgotten that we have seen some football played over the past weeks. In our conversations with Gillingham boss Steve Evans, we have actually talked about what has actually happened on the pitch…

“I thought the League One Play Offs were great,” the Gills boss told us. “The games were good! I spoke to Gareth Ainsworth (the Wycombe boss) a few days before they began and I told him that they were the only ones as I go around the country that no-one mentions and that they were the most difficult team to beat.”

“When we were the first team beat them in the League in September at Priestfield in the one game we played against them, it was a real decent game of football, and in the end I think Gareth knew that they were well beaten that day.”

“I spoken to him since and offered our congratulations and he’s absolutely in cuckoo land which is where he should be as he’s a good guy!”

“Commiserations to three quality teams – Fleetwood, Portsmouth and Oxford – I admit that I fancied Oxford strongly for the Play Offs and it just shows you what a bit of organisation and spirit and determination can lead to.”

Evans has openly followed the fortunes of one of his former clubs and this week has been “celebrating” with the rest of the Leeds United fans following the Yorkshire club’s promotion back to the Premier League for the first time in sixteen years.

“What Leeds have achieved is phenomenal,” a delighted Evans said. “It’s fantastic! I’m so excited for the Chairman Andrea Radrizzani, I’m so excited for Marcelo Bielsa and I’m so excited for the Club in general for them all up there!”

“They had the “derby” to do their bit – though with respect I don’t think that Leeds fans consider Barnsley the same derby as they do games with Manchester United – when they won the game they must have been able to smell it which is how close they were, before West Brom and then Brentford lost over the weekend, and they were promoted – it really is fantastic!”

Evans then paid this tribute to one Leeds legend who sadly didn’t see the Yorkshire clubs return to the top flight as Jack Charlton passed away just days before the club’s promotion was confirmed.

Evans remembered, “I didn’t have many dealings with Big Jack, but I do remember one. I was barely a week into the job at Elland Road – maybe a little bit longer – and the young lady in the office put a call through to me saying, “it’s Jack Charlton for you” and I actually asked her if it was a mate of mine wanting to take the mickey, and she said not, it was actually the man himself.”

“He was a legend to me and he came through and he was very much like Norman Hunter and Peter Lorimer – absolute legends – and Big Jack – it undoubtedly should have been Sir Jack for me; why he was never knighted I will never know – he just said, “welcome to Leeds United. I played all my career there and it’s a great club. You deserve the opportunity – I’ve looked up some of your stats and records; I’ve looked at your passion and determination over the past few years” and he wished me every success. The call was no more than four or five minutes but I’ll never ever forget, ever!”