The footballing world was stunned at the weekend when Gianluca Vialli passed away aged just 58 and Andy Hessenthaler has paid tribute to the former striker.

Vialli was in charge of the Chelsea team when Gillingham reached the Quarter Finals of the FA Cup for the first and only time back in 2000 – thousands of Kent football fans descended on Stamford Bridge that day to see the Gills bow out.

In the Gillingham team that day was Andy Hessenthaler and when KSN spoke to Hessie about his fourth Priestfield return last week as Head of Recruitment, we asked him about his memories of the great Italian that day.

“He was indeed in charge of Chelsea that day, and I well remember playing in the game,” Hessie told us. “We had quite a bit of banter that afternoon – I don’t think he liked some of my tackles, he cringed a bit at a few of them – but it was a very sad day for football last week when he passed away because he was a wonderful man and we’ve lost a football man at a very young age.”

“He’s no age at all, just a year older than I am, but it’s very sad all round and condolences to his family.”

“We’ve now lost two legends of football in recent weeks after losing “The King of Football” – Pele – and we’ve now lost another very good football man in Luca Vialli.”

“It brings it home that we’re effectively the same age and I hear stories all the time in football of people losing their lives and anything like that really makes you think and to enjoy each day as it comes as you never know, and this news really does bring it home…”