Gillingham chairman Paul Scally attended his 21st pre-season Club photo-shoot at Priestfield this week with as much optimism and hope as that first one in 1995.
Speaking to KSN, Mr Scally told us, “I’m really looking forward to the new season and really can’t wait to get going now.”
“We’re all prepared for a new season now and the players are definitely up for what’s ahead of us – we’ve still got one or two more deals to try and do and hopefully we’ll get the start we all want at Southend.”
The Gills chairman went on, “I’ve just come back from three weeks away – but the computer was on every day and I was doing some work.”
“Indeed I’ve just finished rewriting the bonus schedule from top to bottom and I’m really pleased in what the players have got and it will act as even more of an incentive for them to achieve what we all want.”
We then asked Mr Scally for his views on the disappointing end to last season. “It was certainly one of the more bitter pills in my time here that I’ve had to swallow,” he said.
“Even though I was trying to manage my expectations, I did think that at the very least we would finish in the Play Offs, as did most people I think.”
“There was no real reason for us not to have done – we didn’t play badly in those last seven or eight games – we just could get a result!”
“In a way, even though there was nothing on it in the end, the penalty in the last minute of the last game against Millwall summed up how we finished the season really.”
“It may be 20 odd seasons but the deal is still the same – trying to win football matches; trying to get into the next higher division; trying to find investors; trying to improve everyone’s lot!”
“Same criteria, different year, but we keep going. We’ve been rushing to get our new kit in and I really am quite proud of it as we designed it ourselves.”
“We sent our designers out to Sri Lanka and they get it to our manufacturing company. The material that we choose is very high quality sports material and even the training kit which mirrors the playing kit is the very highest quality.”
“The players love it and I think it looks stunning and I just hope the early interest from supporters continue as every penny they spend on it goes straight back into the club, which goes straight into the team.”
With another season about to start, Mr Scally remembered last season’s trip to Roots Hall.
“The game we played at Southend last year was more like a home game thanks to the magnificent support that we got.”
“1,500 fans will be travelling again and it’ll be a great start to the season – let’s hope we can go one better than last year’s draw.”
“It’s nice to just travel up the road rather than five or six hours – and that’s the good thing about the division this year.”
“The long trips are still there, but there aren’t as many, and not in midweek – not having to go to Blackpool or Fleetwood on a Tuesday night will be nice!”
We ended by talking about the Chairman’s hopes for 2016/2017. “Same as last year and same as the year before that – that we get three things; firstly that we remain in League One; secondly to try and get in the Play Offs and thirdly to try and get promotion!”
Picture supplied by Kent Pro Images.