Gillingham Season Preview 2021/22: Punching above their weight

Steve Evans might be disappointed with how last season finished but keeping Gillingham in contention for a play-off place as long as he did deserves credit.

The Medway outfit are run on a prudent budget by owner Paul Scally, something that helped them survive the ongoing pandemic, but it does mean they will find it hard to maintain a consistent challenge at the top end of League One.

Unfairly labelled a long-ball team last season, the Gills were a mixture of industrious effort without the ball and energetic skill with it. The side was made to tick by a core of players who have seen their stock rise this summer.

That has seen some key men leave but it is again COVID that threatens to derail things for Gillingham. The club announced they had an outbreak of the virus that affected both the first-team staff and players and the youth side. Really not ideal when you are about to enter one of the most challenging looking campaigns for some time.

COVID was also to blame for the late filing of accounts that put the club into a transfer embargo. It was a soft embargo that still allowed them to sign free agents and loan players on six-month deals but, again, not what you want to see.

The Squad

It was always going to be a tough summer in terms of departures for the Gills. They knew that their key men would be sought after or would be willing to test the market as free agents.

Star defender Connor Ogilvie rejected new terms and left the club (although may still return) along with goalkeeper Jack Bonham and classy winger Jordan Graham who are now at Stoke and Birmingham respectively. The good news is Kyle Dempsey and Jack Tucker remain despite rumoured interest for their services from bigger clubs.

Aaron Chapman has joined the Gills after playing under Steve Evans at Peterborough. Max Ehmer returns after a difficult season with Bristol Rovers and should be the natural replacement for Ogilvie in the heart of defence. He is joined by fellow teammate David Tutonda who made 20 League One appearances for The Gas during their disappointing 2020/21 campaign. The 25-year-old will be hoping for a better year in Kent.

Olly Lee is back after making his move from Hearts permanent while Ben Reeves has bolstered the midfield following a season with Plymouth Argyle.

The former Charlton man is hoping he can perform well enough to get back into the Northern Ireland setup which, given the competition in the middle of the park at Priestfield, would need to see him perform very well indeed.

Jamie Cumming is a nice addition on loan from Chelsea. The young stopper did really well with Stevenage last season in the fourth tier and he’ll make the step-up look easy, no doubt. They’ve also picked up Daniel Phillips on loan from Watford. The Trinidad and Tobago international, 20, joins a really strong midfield and will need to work hard to get his chance.

Newcomer to watch: Danny Lloyd

Danny Lloyd is an excellent signing for Gillingham. He is a player many underrate but when you look at his time in League One with Peterborough and what he achieved at Stockport before that, it’s clear he has all the attributes to be a threat at this level.

13 goals in 25 starts for the Posh in 2017-18 and 29 goals in a single season for Stockport are just two stats that really stand out. Last season he helped Tranmere to the League Two play-offs and EFL Trophy final, making 12 goal contributions in 22 starts. His energy and work ethic will make him a fan favourite at Priestfield.

Verdict

Gillingham did well to punch above their weight last season. In the end, a play-off spot was a step too far but it was a good campaign nonetheless. 2021/22 feels like it will be a lot harder for the club especially with their pre-season affected by a COVID outbreak. Realistically, keeping away from the drop zone should be the target, underwhelming as that may feel. They could well surprise a few people again this season and finishing anywhere near last season’s 10th spot would be superb.

words James Richards, D3D4 Football