Joint manager Jack Wheeler is excited about the season ahead for Gills Ladies and the rise of women’s football.

After a successful World Cup in which England came third, narrowly missing out on a place in the World Cup Final, women’s football has seen a dramatic rise in exposure with interest in the game as high as it’s ever been.

For Kent’s number one women’s side, this summer has been all about rebuilding with Wheeler having made a return to the club where he made his name, teaming up with Darren Hare as they look to put last season’s relegation behind the Gillingham Ladies.

Under the stewardship of former Gillingham midfielder Simon Ratcliffe, the Ladies side found it difficult last season, their first under the banner of Gillingham Football Club, but Wheeler is hoping a fresh impetus can spur the side on when the new campaign gets underway:

“It’s all about team bonding for us at the minute and we want to get a really good feeling around the club. That’s imperative for our success next season.”

“We started back in June and our third pre-season friendly will be this coming Sunday. It doesn’t feel that different to when I was here before and there’s the core nucleus of players from my first time with the club.”

“They know what I expect of them as individuals and as a team. It’s good to be back and working with the girls and I’m looking forward to us pushing on.”

“Promotion would be a bonus, but the aim at the moment is to get things right on and off the pitch. We will take it one week at a time and see where we go.”

Gillingham Ladies have seen some real highs and lows in the past five or six seasons, with Martin Andrews having guided the club to unparalled success when he was Chairman of the club, whilst managers Ian Varley and James Marrs brought trophies to the club.

After a difficult season under Ratcliffe that saw the side relegated from the FA Women’s Premier League, Wheeler is hoping to reignite some of the passion that has seen Gills Ladies dominate locally in recent years and wants the club to work as one:

“We get great support from the men’s club and that’s imperative for what we are trying to do. Paul Scally and Gillingham took the club on after the success James and I had previously under Martin, so we’re now trying to make sure we all work as one.”

“With the success of the World Cup, there is a lot more attention and engagement with young girls and we are hoping we provide a future for Gillingham Ladies footballers for the next five, ten years and beyond.”

“The Gillingham Centre of Excellence has had the most amount of applicants since it started and that shows you how women’s football is going.”

“The stuff I do with Pro Kickers in the grassroots, we have seen a big influx in girls wanting to get into football and it’s now okay for them to play sport.”

At the weekend, Wheeler took up the invitation from Kent Footgolf to take the Gillingham Ladies squad to Chelsfield Lakes Golf Centre near Orpington to try footgolf for the first time, whilst getting some team bonding going.

With lots of laughs and some great teamwork, Wheeler is hoping experiences like that will stand the squad in good stead for the challenges that lie ahead:

“It’s all about the group dynamics and where we are trying to turn the ship around from last year, we’re trying to make it a fun place to be with no pressure and the more time the girls spend together in a positive environment, it’s only going to benefit us and them as individuals.”

“We need to get that buzz back around the club and the girls are really enjoying our training sessions and what we are trying to do.”

After Justin Edinburgh’s appointment as manager of the men’s side earlier in the year, there has been a really good vibe about Gillingham Football Club and Wheeler is hoping some of that rubs off on the women’s side and fans come out to support both teams:

“We get great exposure in the programmes and it will be nice if some of the fans that go and watch the men realise we have a women’s side and come to support us on a Sunday.”

“Justin is doing a great job and there is a massive buzz about the club and we want to encourage families to come along and enjoy the experience of watching some quality football all weekend long.”