Gillingham keeper Jake Turner has been talking to KSN ahead of the side’s trip to Birkenhead this weekend to face Tranmere Rovers. 

Turner has a unique relationship with the other keepers at Priestfield and told us, “We all work together in training so we are used to each other. Come match day we all must do our best, but we all trust each other which is good.”

“As a keeper, it’s important to have the trust – everyone here is a good player and here for a reason!” 

“Training since the new Gaffer has come in has not changed very much for me as Deren and the Cat are both still here (Deren Ibrahim and Glenn Morris).”

“The keeper “union” is a strange one as at the end of the day, there is only one position available and you are both fighting for it, but the best environment for a goalkeeper is if they both get on and help each other out.”

“At the end of the day, we are both there to support each other – I am still learning from the Cat! We may be individuals, but we are very much a team and that is the main thing!” 

Being the closest to the supporters, Turner has a unique relationship with the Gillingham fans, and he told us, “The fans are massive for us to be fair! The last few weeks since the new Gaffer has come in has been really good – it has been good all season to be fair; you cannot knock our support who have turned up every week in their numbers, especially to some of the Clubs that are miles away.”

“And I can tell them, that if we lose our bus home is as quiet as theirs – everyone hurts after a loss, and we just have to put it behind us and focus on the next one.” 

Still only twenty-four, Turner confesses to admiring keepers like Joe Hart and Gianluigi Buffon, and admitted to watching other keepers when he goes to games – he told us.

“I am a (Manchester) City fan and I watch Ederson – an unreal distributor of the ball. If I go and watch my sister play for Manchester United, I am watching Millie, but I am also keeping an eye on the keeper, Mary Earps, who is one of the best, if not THE best keeper in the Women’s game.”

“But to be fair, I do not really get to go to very many other games. When you play it’s difficult to have the time to get to games. I will always have one eye on how the keeper’s doing when I do watch a game.”