Five games left and Gillingham are six points from mathematical safety in League Two as promotion chasing Stockport County visit Priestfield this weekend with manager Neil Harris wanting a strong end to the season.

Talking at his press briefing this week, the Gills boss confessed that County are one of the best sides, if not the best side, in the division. Harris told us:

“They’ve got the best squad in my opinion, with regards to depth and quality. Financially they can recruit; they’ve still got the momentum from the past couple of seasons being promoted and trying to go again.”

“They have a mentality on how to win games of football – they’ve got a great combination of players, and at the top end of the pitch they’ve goal scoring ability. They can play around you, through you or over the top of you and they’re difficult to stop doing it.”

“And that’s the challenge for us to embrace and stand up to!”

“The lads have done brilliantly to get us into the position that we are today. Absolutely delighted for the group – from where we were at Christmas to where we were at Easter, it’s night and day!”

“We recruited the right players to get us where we are in January and now with five games to go, it’s not just about enjoying it, it’s about me keep demanding more, hence why I’ve made changes in the last two away games as I want more and expect more from players; we changed shape because I want to find a formula that works best for us against different opponents and that will be the same moving forward.”

“We want to pick points up between now and the end of the season – we want to get to fifty points and if we do that, it’ll be thirty-six points upwards since Christmas and that would normally over the course of a season to be in the Play Offs.”

Mentality of the players is key for Harris, and we wanted to explore that.

The manager told us: “When I was a player, I always thought when playing a bottom side as a striker I always looked to score goals, whilst playing a top side there was the opportunities to be better than the centre half that I was playing against!”

“As a coach and manager, I want to win every game – I just don’t like losing. I want us to compete, and you worry when you’re playing a top side like we are this week that they have players who can hurt you if you switch off!”

“When you play the lesser sides, with the greatest respect, there’s not the same ability but sometimes it’s subconscious within your group. That said, from the group downstairs, I know what I’m going to get from my group – especially here at Priestfield – I don’t doubt it.”

“You just think that subconsciously are they going to step off today, they’ve just come off a big game! I certainly don’t fear that in my group, no way!”

Harris then paid tribute to defender Max Ehmer who played his 350th game for the club.

“It’s brilliant – he’s done great for the Football Club and the Football Club has done great for him as well,” the Gills boss said.

“I’ve been loyal to him, and he’s been loyal to the Club!”

“He’s been here in good sides, and he’s been here in difficult times too, none more so than this season!”

“Max is a consistent character – he doesn’t get high, and he doesn’t get low; he’s quite laid back and chilled and is a good influence in the group.”

“I like his personality, but in the modern game to be at the same place to make 350 appearances… and hopefully that will continue into next season as well, there’s no reason he can’t top four hundred appearances for the club – it’s testament to loyalty and good relationships.”

“We’re talking about a new contract for him – he likes it at the Football Club, it works well for him and is a good location for him and I like working with him, so watch this space!”