Brad Galinson has been talking to KSN this week ahead of Thursday’s shareholders meeting and fans forum after Gillingham’s thrilling start to the season and the owner reflected with us on the changing cultures within the walls of MEMS Priestfield… 

“I’m cautiously optimistic on what I have seen on the pitch so far,” Gillingham’s American owner told KSN when asked about the start Mark Bonner’s side has made.

“We have been top of the League already which is obviously a great thing, but I do agree with what Mark has said that it is too early to really look at the League table.”

“But more important to me than that is how we are playing! I love a match where one of five or six players can easily be man of the match!”

“Even last year you would always see a clear man of the match, but now it could be anyone of the team. To me, that tells me that they are playing as a team and you can see it when they are eating, when they are training, it is just a very, very healthy culture.”

“It’s a togetherness that was not here when we arrived and they want to win for each other – when Max Ehmer dives or Shad (Ogie) or Oli (Hawkins) and they literally put their body in front of a shot, it motivates everybody else to do the same and they are all doing it!” 

“I said it from the beginning, English football in general is very unique in that you have your community Club, and it’s not just a cliche, this is a community Club, and the community is getting behind the Club – they are proud of how they are playing which goes to these players and Mark and everyone here.”

“You want to get behind people that you are proud of, and I think that everyone is doing their best and everyone sees it and so the entire community has this sense of pride and is waking up from a sort of hibernation and it is a beautiful thing to see.” 

“You always want to win as it is all that matters in the game, but I would argue how you play is just as important. If you remember the start of last season when we won the first, I think it was five (games), you kind of knew that it was not going to last.”

“The team was not playing the same together, they were sneaking in a one nil win and going defensive – it is the opposite this year. Mark believes in his team and so he plays fearlessly, and I think that this community and fanbase especially, expects their team to play fearlessly.” 

We asked Mr. Galinson how he “copes” when not in England and he admitted, “When Shannon and I first bought the Club it was much more difficult because we did not know if we had the right team in place.”

“Now, with who’s here in Joe (Comper), Mark (Bonner), Hess and Kenny (Andy Hessenthaler and Kenny Jackett) we are actually comfortable going back to the States because everyone is at the top of their game, everyone knows what the strategy is, everyone knows what the plan is – we are in constant contact with them, but it’s actually quite comfortable for us because of who we have in place.” 

“Hess and Kenny very much ran the recruitment in the summer – I think now that because you are between transfer windows, you really only hear about the recruiting side two times – when you are in the window and when a side is playing poorly!”

“Between windows when you are playing well, no-one talks about the recruiting team, but that is a good thing because they are the front line on why you are not performing.” 

“We have already been to the kit people for next season – we are ahead of the game. It is the way it should be done – it has never been done here – is that you actually order nearly a year in advance!”

“You do not want last minute, you want to produce as much as you can overseas – China – because it is a higher quality and a higher volume, but you must do that literally now.”

“It is due now probably by November for next season, which is actually really interesting because I was promised a “hot-dog” kit if we got promoted, but because we do not know where we are going to be, “they” will not let me have a “hot-dog” kit.”

“The fact that the green kit has caught the imagination this year does not surprise me as the pink kit last year. I view the concept of a third kit for an American is kind of strange and exceptional.”

“So, I see it as this “throw-away” kit where you can be as aggressive, as creative, as artistic as you want because it is a third kit.”

“So, you have your home colours where there is very little you can do. Your away kit you can do a little bit with, but it is a bit limited, but the third kit?”

“Have fun with it, show pride, do something that is exciting so that if you see someone on the High Street that you know it is the Gillingham third kit.” 

Mr. Galinson then admitted, ““They” have pushed me back on my ideas for a third kit! So, what you have seen is stoic compared to what I would have liked, but I do think that it is a good combination and has gone well because people can have a little more personality with it, and I think it is a really fun thing to do.”

“We have heard that black on black or black on gold would go down very well – we have looked at Clubs who have black with a shiny pin stripe, and I do think that black is a very interesting way to go for an away kit. A third kit? No, it cannot be black, it has to be something much bigger – hot-dog!!!” 

Mr Galinson and Managing Director Joe Comper will both be in attendance at the Fans Forum on Thursday evening that follows the shareholders meeting in Priestfield’s Great Hall.