Stimson: "We pray other teams drop points"

Gillingham manager Mark Stimson speaks ahead of Gillingham’s crucial home game against Swindon Town on Saturday. The Gills could be relegated to League Two on Saturday should they fail to beat rivals Swindon Town at the krbs Priestfield Stadium, and Cheltenham Town gain at least a point.

The Gills have just two games left to retain  their League One status and on The Gills’ two games remaining and the relegation run-ins, Stimson said: “It is not ideal. If the other teams win their games then we can do nothing about it but we have to make sure that, just in case they do slip up, we capitalise on that. That is what we are going to try to doon Saturday and win the game of football and if we do that then we hope and pray, cross everything, and hope that the other teams drop points to then take it to the last game of the season against Leeds. We had a look at this morning for the first time. We looked at who Cheltenham, Crewe and Millwall are playing and they have difficult games as well so there is still a lot to be played forin the entire division. That is why it is important that we make sure we do what we have to do and don't bump into someone with a spectacular goal in their boots like at the weekend.”

Gillingham’s final home game of the season is a grudge match against Swindon Town, speaking about The Robins Stimson said: “It is a decent game to have but, saying that, they have just kept two clean sheets and scored seven goals in two games. They will be coming here with nothing major to play for but again it is going to be about us. I don't think I will need to do a team talk on Saturday because I think the players know what is required and then go out there and play to the best of their ability and get the win we all want.”

Saturday’s game is a mid-day kick-off, and Stimson believes that this will come as an advantage to his side. “It will be a massive advantage because the other teams will know our result before they go out on the pitch. If we get the three points then the teams above us may under a little bit more pressure.”

Stimson faces a nervous wait after Gillingham’s game on Saturday, so what will he be doing Saturday afternoon? “I will just be around the ground because we have the Player of the Year award in the evening so I will just be spending the time in my office watching the results come in. Then, fingers crossed we get the right result, I can enjoy the afternoon and watch the results come in.”

Mark Bentley has missed The Gills’ previous two games following suspension, but Mr. Versatile is back in contention for Saturday’s crucial showdown on Saturday. “It is a possibility he could feature. Stuart Lewis came in last weekend and I thought he was outstanding but, to be fair to him, he has been outstanding in training as well. He really looks like he has the bit between his teeth. He is the player that I brought to the club for the reasons he played last week. Bentley comes back into it and offers a bit of experience and he might be needed. Dennis Oli has had his little rest that he needed after he sustained a couple of knocks tothe head. Hopefully he will join in Thursday and Friday and then could beavailable for the weekend as well.”

Gary Mulligan has been left out of the squad recently, and Stimson had accused him of not giving enough off the pitch. Speaking about the striker, Stimson said: “He has not performed as well as I would have liked him to and I think, deep down, he would say the same. But hewas involved last week because of a situation with a couple of players being unavailable and he got on the pitch and did okay. He has trained well with the group this week. But how do you win football matches? By keeping a clean sheet or scoring a goal and he is someone who can score a goal so he can be used again. There is a possibility of that (keeping Mulligan long-term). We have a long-term option on Gary and we will speak to him after the season has finished and that is when that big word comes out again: honesty. What do you really want to do? How much do you really want to play for Gillingham Football Club? And we will see what his answer is.”

Goalkeeper Simon Royce recently spoke out on having to wait for his contract, but Stimson has reiterated that Royce has his word there will be a contract for him. The Gills boss said: “Simon hasn't put pen-to-paper because of reasons with the Chairman. He has been busy with a lot of other stuff that have been going on and I have said before that Simon has my word on it. I know Simon, I played with him before, and if he can't take my word then that would surprise me. But things should be finalised over thenext week and hopefully Danny Cullip as well. I could see where he would come from (playing in League Two) because, as a player,you should want to play at the highest level possible for the most amount of time. So, in one sense, it might be doing him a favor, not signing a contract. No, he wants to sign it and we want him to sign it because he is a good goalkeeper and every good team is built from the back and if you have a good goalkeeper then you can go on from there. I haven't really thought much about the others to be honest because I have been so concerned with every game and every week that has gone past. So, I think that again it will be something thatwe will look at in the summer when we know where we are and what we want to do. Certain players have done well and others not so well but that is the same at every football club.”

Adam Bygrave recently returned to Reading to help The Royals beat the drop to The Championship, and Stimson said it is unlikely the he will bring him back on a permenant basis for next season: “Reading have called all their players back because they are in a tricky situation as well so Adam was called back. We wish him all the best because he has done well at the football club. He was a young lad who had never kicked aball in the league before. He made his league debut for us and I would say that his performances showed that he lacked that little bit of experience because he had not played that many games but, overall, I thought he did well. Possibly not with Adam, no. I think we have three good centre-halves in Richards, Kingand Cullip. We have a young lad coming through who is a very strong and aggressive centre half so in that area we are quite comfortable. We also have Sodje out on loan who is contracted for next year so we have enough cover inthat area.”

Stimson has been full of praise for the Gillingham support of late, but has asked the fans to not get on the player’s backs on Saturday, and direct any frustrations at him. Saturdays game will no doubt come with a great atmosphere with The Gills needing nothing less than three points and the fact the opponents are old rivals Swindon Town. Stimson said: “I am expecting what I have seen over the last six or seven home games,which is nice and loud from the first whistle. If the players play like they have then I ask the fans to stay with them. Obviously frustrations may be heard but that must be respected because we know the situation we are in and if the team doesn’t perform the way the fans want to then the fans have the right to show their frustrations because they have paid their money. However, I have always said that please don't shout at the players. If you are going to shout at someone, shout at me because my shoulders are big enough to take it.”

Remember if you are yet to purchase your tickets for Saturday's crucial game, you must do it before Saturday as tickets are not available on the day of the game and are only available to those on the clubs database.