Gillingham go into their final home game of the season this weekend when Newport County visit Priestfield with the words of Neil Harris still ringing in their ears.

The Welsh side won the reverse fixture 2-0 back in November which does now seem with everything that has happened on and off the pitch since a very, very long time ago…

After watching his side lose in South Wales in the reverse fixture, Harris told the awaiting media “I’m fed up with watching the same old crap! We didn’t compete and I’m fed-up with standing on the touchline watching the side make the same mistakes!”

Not five months on, and just six of the eighteen who wore Gillingham blue that day likely to be involved on Saturday, Harris admitted, “they were tough words weren’t they? I think it shows where I was at the time and the fans too – it was a difficult period, and over a few months for me but the fan base will say it was longer.”

“We have come a long way and listening to those quotes again, it’s quite hard hitting for me and highlights how much we should be enjoying our football at the moment and how much we should look forward to the return fixture here on Saturday.”

“It’s been a brilliant place for the last three months and I don’t want it to change.”

Victory for the Gills at the weekend will mean that in the twelve home League games played at Priestfield in 2023, it will mean that thirty-one points out of a possible thirty-six have been won!

Harris confirmed that he’ll have a full squad for the weekend with no new injuries with Aiden O’Brien and Shaun Williams’ respective seasons now over.

Looking beyond the weekend and into the summer, Harris then focused on the coming months.

“I’m keen and eager to get business done as early as possible as we did in January and that’s the beauty of having very good people around you in Andy Hessenthaler and Kenny Jackett who have the same work ethic and desire to want to build.”

“Extensive knowledge and contacts in the game which go a long way and so between the three of us, we chat to a lot of people and we’re working extremely hard.”

“We’ve got what we call really, really good potential targets, but then you have to have plans B, C, D and E as well as you can’t always get your top target.”

As well as Priestfield saluting the life of former owner Tony Smith who died this week, midfielder Olly Lee with be on the Priestfield pitch for the first time since his retirement allowing the Gillingham faithful to say goodbye and thank you to the popular midfielder.

“We’ve been through some tough times with Olly and his illness, but it will be lovely for him and great for the fans as Olly is loved here on and off the pitch – it’s a great opportunity for him to say his own goodbyes and take a huge deserved ovation from not only the fans but from the staff as well!”