Neil Harris eager to make supporters proud again.
The winds of change are blowing through MEMS Priestfield Stadium and Neil Harris says he is prepared to be ‘ruthless’ to maintain the Gills status as Kent’s only side in the Football League.
Despite another improved performance, Gillingham succumbed to a crushing last-gasp Sutton goal which again left them empty-handed and rooted to the bottom of Sky Bet League Two.
Harris admitted the 2-1 defeat was ‘gut-wrenching’ but says he is fully committed to breathing new life into his team with some smart transfer business as he aims to fight his way back up the table.
“If new players come in and take current players’ shirts then so be it,” said Harris after the defeat. “I have to be ruthless. I have to protect the football club and be ruthless and win games of football.
“We played against one of the best teams that compete in the league. We played some good stuff, got into good areas and got forward with inter-play, we looked a threat and created chances, and we found a way to lose the game. I‘m really disappointed.
“I can take pride in that we have played a lot more positively but we had numerous chances and we have not been clinical.
“We have to adjust what we do and sometimes you have to say to players, 'we have to bring different players in', every player has had an opportunity at this football club with the amount of games we have played. Nobody can say they haven’t had an opportunity to produce in their positions.”
Harris said he was delighted with the capture of attacker Tom Nichols from Crawley which he views as a huge step in the right direction. The cheque book, however, is still open and the lid is off the pen, and Harris says he is ready to sign the calibre of players required to lift Gillingham out of danger.
“We are active in the transfer market and we are going to spend money,” he said. “Everything we wanted to do in the summer we are trying to do now. It’s frustrating but we have to look forward and not backwards. We need to compete quickly.
“We need to have characters on the pitch. You make your own luck, by getting players in the right positions and having natural finishers. We have recruited one centre-forward already and we are looking to add further players to the group.
“Tom Nichols (eligible to play after the Stevenage fixture on January 2nd) is first and foremost a great pro. He is a winner. He plays at the top end of the pitch and over the years he has been a goal threat.
“We are trying, we are working hard, a lot of phone calls, trying to run training and the games but whilst trying to sign players as well. It is nice to look at bringing players in that we feel are going to improve us and certainly add to the core group that I want to keep.
“We want to put things right and make our supporters proud again.”