Neil Harris’ sacking this week was a surprise! No, it was a seismic shock that very, very few people could see coming. 

Players and supporters alike had their collective ghasts flabbered by Thursday lunchtime’s news.

Yes there had been rumbles of displeasure as one of my colleagues here at KSN so eloquently put it after Tuesday’s defeat at Crewe, but whether you were pro or anti-Harris, the Gills are only four points off the top of the League Two table and victory over the MK Dons at Fortress Priestfield at the weekend could take my blue and white heroes back to second place in the table. 

Disbelief, surprise, shock – all words that have described the “sacking day” for the majority, whilst there will be some who would have been celebrating the news.  

Neil really went through the mill in the name of the Gills since day one – coming in on the last day of the January transfer window in 2022 with the side struggling in League One coming out of COVID.

In the end, that battle ended in failure, but it must be remembered that it was only by a single goal that Gillingham slipped through the trap door – the first ironic comment given the current lack in front of goal! 

Anyhow, for the first part of last season, no Gills fans “enjoyed” things and I can assure you all that the manager shared every single bit of pain.

All we all wanted was a squad that could compete, but apart from what was a remarkable run in the Carabao Cup before along came Brad Gallinson and we all suddenly had hope.

The difference after Christmas and a limp Boxing Day defeat to Colchester United was amazing as finally there was a squad in blue and white that we could be proud of again; a side that climbed out of the Football League basement into mid-table mediocrity.  

And let’s not forget that just forty days before he was shown the door, this same Gillingham side were breaking records and were unbeaten… But there were already rumblings from some supporters that the football, whilst winning football, was not pretty to watch.

Now as an Arsenal follower who grew up in the George Graham “one-nil to the Arsenal” days, I will never understand people complaining when their side is winning games!

I asked a friend who had a moan about “only” winning one-nil, if they’d settle for twenty-five to thirty-one-nil wins over the course of the season if it meant promotion? His answer stopped the argument as he could not reply… 

Anyhow, the home form “recovered” from the Colchester United blip, but there were the away defeats at Grimsby Town, Doncaster Rovers and Crewe Alexandra which in some eyes seemed to spark panic. But let us be honest, they are three grounds where we always struggle… 

So, who will be next? Early favourites appear to be former Oxford boss Karl Robinson or current Crawley Town boss Scott Lindsey, formerly of course of this parish and son of Gills legend Keith.

Beyond the two of them, I’ve heard the Cowley brothers mentioned amongst others, but for whoever is appointed, sooner hopefully rather than later, the Gillingham hot-seat looks far more comfortable now than when Harris first sat down, and whilst everything at Priestfield is certainly now in a far better state than it was, the very fact that the Gallinson’s have wielded the axe with the Club outside of the Play Off places only on goal difference and just a solitary point away from second place, will surely lay down a marker of the Big Boss’ views for the way forward. 

It is still an exciting time to be a Gills fan – well at least compared to the last few years at any rate – but because of that, the pressure on the new man coming in will be immense.  

Ironically, Harris has said every time he was asked about League tables, that he would not really take any notice of the standings until his side had played twelve games – he’s been sacked this week after eleven! 

So after Gerry Summers, “Sir” Keith Peacock, Paul Taylor, Keith Burkenshaw, Damien Richardson, Glenn Roeder, Mike Flanagan, Tony Pulis, Peter Taylor, Andy Hess, Stan Ternent, Neale Cooper, Ronnie Jepson, Mark Stimson, Hessie again, Martin Allen, Peter Taylor again, Justin Edinburgh, Ade Pennock, Steve Lovell, Steve Evans and now Neil Harris – along with now 19 caretakers – in my Gills supporting times, who will be the next incumbent into the Priestfield hot-seat?

Time as they say will tell…