Martin talks about Jim Folwell's Manager for a Day experience at the weekend
Jim Folwell joined the coaching staff at MEMS Priestfield over the weekend as he carried out his `Manager for a Day` experience during the club's encounter against Dagenham & Redbridge on Saturday.Jim won the prize during Martin Allen's sportsman's dinner back in November, and got a rare insight into what happens behind the scenes.
He was in the Manager's office before and after the game, where he enjoyed a glass of wine with the management, and left a happy man after an enjoyable day which even involved him delivering a mini team-talk.
Talking to the club website Jim said: "I really enjoyed the whole day. I was left free to speak to anybody I wanted to, at the right times of course. I had conversations with two or three of them, especially with Stuart Nelson and Charlie Allen but I would say I spoke to all of them at different times.
"That was the icing on the cake the fact we won, at this time of the year its all about winning. They are doing fantastically well and the manager along with his backroom staff in my opinion are doing very well because the big difference to me is the fitness of the players.
"They are all switched on, they all know what they are doing and there wasn't any questions that I asked them that they didn't answer. I've said to people locally, and to my family, it's something I won't forget until the day I die.
"It was really great and I would like to thank Martin for everything he provided for me to do during the day. I was never sat down doing nothing, wherever I went during the day there was someone there escorting me telling me what was going on.
"I wish them all the best."
Martin added:
"It was a privilege to have Jim with us in the office before the game to chat about the team, the squad, the substitutions and to listen to his stories of supporting Gillingham for 45 years.
"He gave an inspirational team talk prior to the warm up and I will never forget his face, sat in the office with a glass of red wine in his hand, having played his part in winning three points.
"I think he was the happiest man in Gillingham. No, no, no, he was the happiest man in Kent. In actual fact I think old Jim was probably the happiest person in the world!"