Gillingham Chairman Paul Scally is keen for former Manager Andy Hessenthaler to stay on at the club and help him on the Board.

Hessenthaler left his position of Manager at Gillingham Football Club on Tuesday, two years into a three year contract after failing to make the play-offs on both occasions, but that hasn’t stopped Scally from wanting him to stay at the club.

Scally and Hessenthaler held talks at Priestfield on Tuesday afternoon and are expected to meet again on Wednesday morning with the former Manager going to the ground to clear his desk.

Meanwhile, Scally told Sky Sports News how he was keen to keep Hessenthaler involved in some way:

“He opitimises everything we are trying to do at Gillingham Football Club. He has been a loyal servant and a first class player for the club and he has done everything in his power to achieve what we all set out to achieve two years ago, but unfortunately it hasn’t worked out and we think that a change would be best for the team and the club going forward.”

“I think there’s a role for him as we don’t have a football man on the Board that can help make decisions on the football side, so it would be good if he stays.”

Whether Hessenthaler wants to stay at the club after losing his position as Manager is open to debate. For someone that has kicked every ball throughout his career both on and off the pitch, it may come as a step too far for the former Dover Athletic man to move upstairs.

Meanwhile, Scally confirmed the club are going to take their time looking for Hessenthaler’s replacement, hoping that his former boss would be involved in the decision process.