Andy Hessenthaler and Kenny Jackett have joined Gillingham as Head of Recruitment and Director of Football respectively.

Hessenthaler returns to MEMS Priestfield Stadium as Head of Recruitment with Jackett taking up the role of Director of Football.

Andy, 57, leaves his role as Dover Athletic manager to take up his new position at ME7 while Jackett was most recently in charge of League Two side Leyton Orient.

They join the club with immediate effect and will work closely with the board of directors, and manager Neil Harris.

Hessenthaler played over 350 games for the Gills and, as manager, guided the club to their highest ever league finish of 11th in the Championship.

Jackett, capped 31 times by Wales during his playing career, has three promotions to his name as a manager (Swansea, Millwall and Wolves) and also won the EFL Trophy in 2018-19 during his time with Portsmouth.

The 60-year-old spent his entire playing career with Watford, making over 400 appearances.

The appointment of Hessenthaler and Jackett at Gillingham shows the intent new owner Brad Galinson has going forward.

The American has brought in two people with a wealth of experience in the Football League and non league and will clearly give Harris the support he needs in assembling a squad not only capable of climbing off the bottom of League Two, but ultimately in securing promotion in years to come.

A whole new era at Gillingham has seen the club look backwards to secure Hessenthaler’s services, but there isn’t many more people involved in football that know the football club better than he.

Hessenthaler and Jackett will now look at which targets they can bring in over the remainder of the January transfer window and are expected to be at Priestfield on Saturday for the FA Cup Third Round tie with Premier League side Leicester City.