The equation is simple for Gillingham. Win on Sunday and they are in League One next season.

With Port Vale winning 1-0 at Walsall on Tuesday night, the fate of Ady Pennock’s side goes down to the final game of the league campaign, ironically at Northampton Town, now managed by Justin Edinburgh who was sacked by The Gills in the New Year.

If you were to write a script, this is how it would have come out.

Vale sit just a point behind The Gills in the last of the relegation places, but crucially have a five goal worse goal difference.

They face a very tough trip to third placed Fleetwood Town on Sunday afternoon, with the home side still able to secure a top two and automatic promotion place.

All of that should really be irrelevant though. Gillingham have to focus on their own game and nothing else will matter.

Adrian Pennock will go to Friday morning’s press conference knowing the kind of messages he should be putting out to the Gillingham faithful who will travel to Northampton in their numbers, but many will have memories of Wycombe Wanderers.

Back in May 2010, Mark Stimson’s side headed West knowing their fate was still in their own hands, but lost 3-0 and were sent back down to League Two.

This coming weekend will no doubt bring back bad memories for many long suffering Gillingham fans, but they have to go to Northampton knowing there is every chance they’ll be in League One next season even if they lose.

There are a number of permutations on Sunday. Lose and they could be down, lose and they could stay up. Draw and they could go down, draw and they could stay up.

The only result that guarantees Gillingham’s place in League One next season is winning.

No leaving their fate in the hands of others. Win their game of football. It’s as simple as that.

Football has to be the most over-analysed sport in the world and too much is written about the psychology of winning and winners.

At the end of the day, it will come down to who wants it the most and possibly who has Lady Luck on their side.

A deflection off someone’s backside and into the goal could be heroic or catastrophic.

Who knows?

One thing is for sure, Gillingham fans that can’t be there on the day will be glued to the radio, watching the TV or on social media to see what their fate is come about 2pm on Sunday afternoon.

Who would be a Gillingham fan?