That’s more like it, Gillingham. That’s more like it.

Saturday lifted the mood around the football club massively. The 6,000 fans, the new signings, and the result. What a difference a month makes.

We deserved to win against Hartlepool, and it was just great to see Nichols and Hawkins working in tandem. I almost forgot what it was like to have some functioning strikers. I think their chemistry looks great already and they seem to be enjoying working together – long may it continue.

Neil Harris said after the game that we started to see what his teams look like, and I think he’s right. You could see the tactical set-up he was going for.

McKenzie was back in at right back, but he stayed close to Ehmer and Wright and allowed Tutonda to bomb on. That was aided by Jefferies – who is getting better and better each game – coming inside to create overloads in midfield with Dieng and Williams, and open up the space.

Add in MacDonald on the right and Nichols dropping off Hawkins and you’ve got a nice little system going on.

George Lapslie is a fantastic signing – maybe our best of the window so far – but I’m intrigued to see how he fits in. He’s more attacking than defensive and will like to get on the ball, but the obvious positions he could fill in Saturday’s system ae occupied by Dieng and Jefferies right now. Personnel wise, he could swap for Williams, but they do different jobs.

I’m sure Neil will get him in, but it might not be right away. I think we’ll probably see an unchanged side at Colchester, maybe depending on arrivals this week.

I wrote last week that we needed to get a move on with incomings. It caused a bit of debate on social media, because others rightly pointed out that it’s important to get the right type of signings in.

My point was that we needed reinforcements for Hartlepool, or we would lose. I’m glad the right ones came through the door and impressed, and long may that continue too.

There’s a lot of talk on social media about who is and isn’t coming in, and there appears to be a few ‘in the know’ accounts that have come out of nowhere.

I’ve no problem with people tweeting news. It’s what journalists do. I myself have people that I deem to be reliable telling me bits and pieces, and I’ll share the news if I get it, but I’m not completely hooked up with everything that’s going on at the club. Some of these accounts appear to be claiming to be.

Where were they before? Where have they come from? If you check the pattern of what they’re saying, there’s a lot of resharing information others have said, or tweeting based on predictions, wording stuff as if they know what’s going on without really saying anything.

I’ll give you an example: ‘My sources tell me Gillingham are closely monitoring Player X and have interest in buying him. Neil Harris wants another forward, and he fits the bill, but other clubs are interested so it might not happen.’

It’s not hard, is it?

Anyway, now I’ve got that off my chest, let’s look forward. There’s a fans’ forum being held at Priestfield on Thursday and the Galinsons will be there – Brad and Shannon at least – as well as Paul Fisher and Neil Harris. It’s been a long time coming, and I’m chuffed to have picked up a couple of tickets to attend.

I’m sure they’ll be asked questions on all sorts of topics, but I’m intrigued to see what they’ll say. Paul Scally won’t be there and I’m sure lots will be asked about him, but also the future of the club both on and off the field.

I can almost guarantee Paul and the Galinsons will handle themselves well, but I’m interested to see how Neil deals with things. I don’t think his attitude has been great during the last few months. He might be thrown a few tough questions, but I expect it’ll go swimmingly, and he’ll win a few fans over that may have been against him before.

Whether any more names will come through the door before then, we’ll have to see. I think Kenny Jackett and Andy Hessenthaler have done a fantastic job in the short time they’ve been in the door, and I can’t complain about any of the five new signings.

I think they want eight in total, and I expect Jayden Clarke and James Henry to come in from Dulwich Hamlet and Oxford United respectively, so that leaves one more. Plans may of course change if something else comes up.

It just feels great to be optimistic about the club. Nigel Clough said last week that Gillingham are on a different level financially in League Two and that is bizarre to hear. But I could get used to it! Once again – long may it continue, and bring on the climb.

Picture supplied by Gillingham Football Club.