Former manager Andy Hessenthaler is backing Peter Taylor to be a success at Gillingham after returning for a second spell in charge.

Taylor took over the reins at Priestfield on an initial interim basis on Monday following Martin Allen’s shock sacking on Sunday night.

The former England Under 21 manager enjoyed a busy first day in charge back at the club, taking training in the morning, watching a strong Development XI side including the likes of Adebayo Akinfenwa beat their AFC Wimbledon counterparts 3-1 and then being unveiled in a press conference in the afternoon.

Hessenthaler left the club earlier in the year after deciding the role of Director of Football didn’t suit him and now believes the club is in good hands with Peter Taylor, but has dismissed links with him coming back to the club in some capacity:

“I’m sure people are thinking with Peter Taylor having gone back to Gillingham, I’ll be linked, but Peter’s got his coaching staff for now.”

“It would be unfair for me to be linked as he has got his staff. We speak quite regularly and I’m sure he’ll pick my brains on players at times and I’m sure we will have a coffee, but he has got John (Schofield), Carl Muggleton and a good set of players.”

“Unfortunately it has been a tough year for them so far, but there’s plenty of time for them to turn things around.”

Hessenthaler still has an ambition to manage himself again in the Football League and is currently working with Maidstone based Soccer Elite doing some coaching, whilst scouting for Burnley, but told KSN his meeting with Peter Taylor on Monday was only because son Jake is part of the playing squad at Gills:

“I’d love to get back in somewhere at some stage and my son is obviously there and he’s knocking on the door at the moment.”

“Peter has had his first look at him and I was there for that reason and that reason only. I’m sure other people might think differently, but it wasn’t anything other than watching my son.”

“He’s in good hands now and he’s going to get an honest opinion from somebody I respect highly.”

“To be fair to Martin (Allen), he had him very close to him over the last few months and I even had a phone call from Martin, which not many parents will get, to say that he’s been absolutely delighted with him, to keep working hard and he won’t be very far away from actually getting an opportunity.”

“Martin did good for him, but it was good to see Pete again, it brought back a lot of good memories there and let’s hope he has the same success as he did back in the day.”

One of the most notable changes at Gillingham in the coming weeks with Taylor in charge will be the style of football they play and Hessenthaler told KSN how he sees Peter Taylor’s way as being ideal for a club that is prepared to battle it out with the big boys:

“Everybody has got there own philosophy and playing for Peter will be different to the way Martin wanted to do things.”

“Nobody is the same and he’ll definitely bring a different brand of football to the Football Club and with his contacts in the game, I’m sure he will be able to use the loan market as well to bring in players and give a bit more competition there, because ultimately they need to stay in that Division.”

“Hopefully, one day they will get back to where we was in the Championship. We had a fantastic time when I took over and to get to eleventh in the table on a no budget situation is really like getting promoted.”

“With budgets at the likes of Blackburn in those days, ours was very, very small and we had a lot of success in the Championship, but it eventually caught up with us.”

“Let’s hope one day we can see The Gills back there.”

Football is always a results business and no one knows that more so than Hessenthaler after his second spell in charge of the team came last summer after guiding the side to eighth twice in League Two.

Martin Allen was to come in and take over the side that Hessenthaler began to assemble, but the former Dover Athletic boss feels sometimes a club needs a change when things aren’t going their way:

“It’s obviously very disappointing for Martin (Allen) leaving the club, because he’s done an absolutely fantastic job, but the Chairman has decided to make a change.”

“I know what that feels like, but Peter has gone in there to steady the ship, get them going again and I’m sure he will be fantastic for them.”

Not only has Hessenthaler been working with local football academy Soccer Elite, but he’s been keeping busy by doing a lot of scouting locally and watched plenty of non league games within Kent.

He told KSN that if Peter Taylor wanted some help, he’d be only too happy to oblige:

“I have been out watching a lot of non league games and I’ve been working for Sean Dyche at Burnley and they’re doing fantastically well in the Championship.”

“He’s a fantastic guy and I’ve been watching players and games, because theres always a little gem out there somewhere that Burnley could take and now with Peter back, I’ll have eyes out for Peter as well, because that’s what I’d do, because he’s a friend of mine.”

KSN will bring you the second part of our exclusive interview with Andy Hessenthaler tomorrow as he gives us an insight into working with Soccer Elite and his desire to help younger players progress in the game.