Gillingham will once again be down to the bare bones for Saturday’s League One clash against Portsmouth at Priestfield.
Steve Evans will have to field a below strength side yet again as fans are set to boycott the game in their droves as they look to oust chairman Paul Scally from the club.
That could mean there are more travelling fans inside the ground than home supporters as Gillingham fans vote on the Scally regime with their feet.
Evans confirmed on Friday morning’s press conference that skipper Kyle Dempsey still hadn’t had his surgery he required and that he’d once again be short of numbers for the weekend.
He said: “Kyle Dempsey’s operation is now scheduled for next Thursday. He’s had a little virus – that will put him back another week. The consultant is thinking (post-op) two to three weeks, so it’s not as bad as we thought.”
“We miss him every game we play; he’s a great kid and a big part of what we do.”
“Alex MacDonald we are waiting to see, his introduction back into training should be Monday/Tuesday. How he does in training in that week will ascertain whether a series of little injections he’s had worked. If it hasn’t, it will be an operation.”
Meanwhile, Evans has called on those that do attend to be behind his team:
“Portsmouth will have a big crowd travelling tomorrow; they’re in a good run of form and a good side. We will strip the best XI to try and win the game and hopefully we will get in the trenches and have a fight.”
“We will need our supporters more than ever before. They live and breathe it – we are all desperate to get back to winning ways. Let’s be collective tomorrow and see what it brings.”
Gillingham will welcome back midfielder Stuart O’Keefe into the squad following his suspension that kept him out of Tuesday’s night’s team that lost 2-0 to Cheltenham Town.
Portsmouth will travel without defender Sean Raggett. The Gillingham-born centre-half picked up his fifth yellow card of the season in the first half of Pompey’s 3-0 win over Lincoln in midweek and will now face a one-match ban.
Lee Brown will make his return after sitting out Tuesday’s game with suspension.
Former Gills striker John Marquis travelled with the Portsmouth squad in midweek and could be involved on the weekend, Liam Vincent may also feature after returning to the bench but Ryan Tunnicliffe (hamstring) and Jayden Reid (knee) remain out.
Meanwhile, Connor Ogilvie is set to get a warm reception from the Priestfield faithful on his return after joining Portsmouth in the summer.
Lose on Saturday afternoon and Gillingham could well drop into the League One bottom four, piling more pressure on Steve Evans who is still linked with the vacant manager’s job at Stevenage and chairman Paul Scally who is surely finding the tide has turned against him.
Picture supplied by Gillingham Football Club.