Gillingham head to Field Mill to face Nigel Clough’s Mansfield Town this weekend with manager Neil Harris grateful to the fans that have stood by him and his squad.

The Gills will be looking to continue their remarkable early year form that has seen striker Tom Nichols nominated for the League Two Player of the Month and Harris himself for the manager’s award as the Gills look to extend the unbeaten run that has seen them climb off the foot of the table.

After beating Crawley in front of a sold out Priestfield, there is a real sense of optimism around Priestfield. “People came to the game because they wanted to see Gillingham. There would have been some new fans, some would not have been for a while, some may not have been able to afford to come and bring the family – I know the power of football; I’m a fan myself,” Harris told us.

“I love the game and I love going to watch football at all levels – I go and watch my son play and my daughters play in Non-League and girls football. The chemistry between whether its because’ you’re a parent, a fan, a coach is there on the football pitch if you get it right.”

“And that’s why I wasn’t surprised at the incredible backing we got against Crawley because what we showed, particularly in the second half, was what Gillingham Football Club is all about – passion, energy, drive, headers, tackles, goals, quality – and that’s what the fans want to see.”

“All of that is what the supporters want to see in their manager as well and so their reaction to me at the end is what they want to see as well and that’s not lost on me and that’s my job to try and make sure that I get the results to be able to give them that more often.”

“Previously I’d tried to be respectful to the situation that we were in and the feeling of a fan base that had been frustrated and a manager can’t ever be free from criticism or questioned.”

“So I’ve tried to be hugely respectful over the last couple of months and to keep my counsel. All it’s been the last four game for me is really a bit of an out pouring to enable me to show my passion – that everyone knows that I’ve got from my playing days and time as manager last season and that’s how I want to be!”

“That’s how I want to be every day on the training pitch, so it’s been a good time for people to see the real me again – a reminder of the real me anyway – and I know that that’s the manager that Gillingham fans want to see!”

The manager will head North this weekend with the same squad that clinched the points last weekend courtesy of Shaun Williams’ second half strike at the start of another big week for the Club with a midweek home game with Grimsby Town splitting the weekend trip and another long one next week to Rochdale.

“I’ve played against Nigel’s teams down the years – he’s a good guy, with a great playing career and a great managerial career as well, huge respect for his longevity in the game which is becoming a lot tougher in time for all of us and he does a great job.”

“Sadly I didn’t have the opportunity to meet his Dad when I signed for Nottingham Forest – it would have been a wonderful opportunity that I would have loved, but sadly I didn’t get to meet the great Brian Clough.”