Gillingham co-owner Shannon Galinson has been talking to Kent Sports News about the appointment of the fifth manager in their reign at the Club. 

As Gareth Ainsworth took the manager’s chair this week, Mrs Galinson spoke to us about the latest managerial change at MEMS Priestfield telling us, “It’s been a whirlwind of a week, but it’s been purposeful in making this change at this time,” she said. 

“It was a timeline that we wanted to be in complete control of. We knew definitively that it was our aim to give the permanent new management team as many games as we could to give them their own “pre-season” if you will before the end of this season to assess the squad, assess the staff and assess everything about the entire Club.”

“It was purposeful decision, and we are incredibly grateful to John (Coleman) and Jimmy (Bull) for righting our ship over a certain period of time, we knew that we needed a little bit of a reset and change.”

“That was how we knew we were comfortable (in the League) – I know not statistically and once we had that comfort level, we decided to start interviewing. And Gareth and Richard had already “bubbled” to the top for us, so we were determined that we might be able to get them in sooner rather than later and so we acted, hence the crazy week!” 

“We were intrigued by the project that was Wycombe for them – that was truly a journey with successes, challenges and everything in between, that was interesting!” 

“Something that intrigued me when I met them for the first time was that both Gareth and Richard talk about culture and one of my first tasks when I got to Gillingham was to look at this Club’s culture – reassess to see where we needed adjustments, see what was working, see what wasn’t, and when we sat down together and they were speaking the same language of culture just in the context of a football squad, I thought that I am intrigued by these guys!” 

Mrs Galinson then confirmed that the Gills had met Shrewsbury’s release clause for the management team saying, “We were anxious to get them here! We have made a commitment, but one that we actually sort out – we very much wanted the guys working with us in this building.”

“We realised that in these last couple of years – and we will of course continue to learn, there was one thing that we haven’t been good at and that is continuity.”

“So, we knew that we had to have a two-year solid plan at least and a management team that we would want to stay the course with, and who would want to stay the course with us. And we couldn’t think of anybody better than Gareth and Richard!” 

Referring to John Coleman’s departure, Mrs Galinson told us, “He was a real gentleman and Joe (Comper), and I had a great last hour with him earlier in the week reflecting on some things telling us his opinions as he has done for the time that he was here.”

“He is a really lovely guy, and I believe that we have parted as friends.” 

“This will sound a cliche and I will tell you why,” she said when asked if the Galinsons would have done anything differently since taking over.

“The growth through the bumps in the road that we have had, have been everything. So, I am a big believer that you don’t grow, and you don’t get better unless you make mistakes and so, I would do all of it again and I would do it the same way because in every scenario, we have learned.”

“And it turns out that you can’t learn from books, you can’t learn from documentaries you might watch, you can’t even learn it from people who are with you and in it, you really do have to experience it for yourself! I know that sounds cliche, but no I would take all of it and do it again!” 

Picture supplied by Gillingham Football Club.