Manager Neil Harris has told KSN of his delight at bringing both Kenny Jackett and Andy Hessenthaler into the structure at Gillingham.

Following Thursday’s announcement of the arrival at Priestfield of Kenny Jackett as Director of Football and the return to the club of Andy Hessenthaler – in the role of head of recruitment – Gillingham boss Neil Harris has been telling KSN of his support and part of bringing in the new infrastructure to the club that the manager has been desperate for since taking over in January last year.

Harris has regularly told us in the past weeks that plans were in place to go into the January transfer market, and we asked him if the arrival of Jackett and Hessenthaler would influence the plans following the recent completion of Brad Galinson’s takeover of the club.

“They’ll be a massive help,” the Gills boss admitted, “using their extensive knowledge of the game, of players, of contacts, and our reach goes so much further now and is so much quicker to clubs and agents – players directly if necessary.”

“Communication side of it in a window is massive and getting the guys in is a massive help. A lot of time in a Football Club the opinion can only be mine if you haven’t got that set up – now I’ve got two guys who know a hell of a lot of players!”

“I played for Kenny and the qualities that he’ll bring to the role are huge. He’s a family man, hes assured and honest and his knowledge is ridiculous within the game.”

“He is so highly thought of… he wants to pursue a different avenue and I think it’s a brilliant position for him and I think he’s going to be really good at the position.”

“Hessie played for Kenny when he first went to Watford and of course I played for him here for a period on loan – I know both guys really well and that’s why I can underline that if anyone thinks there’s anything in the background underhand, then the answer’s no as I’ve been involved all the way through and I cannot be any clearer that I am one million percent supportive of both of them being in the building because they are both really good football men.”

“We’ve been through a really tough period both on and off the pitch and I know that people have an opinion on me and the job I’ve done… I’m not here to argue with anybody on results – this is different now… it’s not that Neil Harris as manager or someone else, it’s about what’s best for Gillingham Football Club at the moment and the infrastructure is so important.”

“We live in a catchment area with an academy that should stretch across the whole county and into London as well and we need to look at that… We haven’t had a full training pitch for the last eight weeks – we haven’t made that public as it wasn’t the right time, but Kenny coming in as Director of Football is there to help me and get the tools, we can to be a better group.”

“Recruitment is a huge part of that especially in the window and if we get that right, we’ll get results right on the pitch.”