Gareth Ainsworth was pleased that Gillingham could end what has been a difficult league campaign with a 1-0 victory against Shrewsbury Town at the MEMS Priestfield Stadium on Saturday.
The Gills boss acknowledged that it was a game that lacked quality, but commended Garath McCleary for providing the one bit of quality late in stoppage time to provide the winning goal. Ainsworth also discussed a couple of gilt-edged opportunities that Shrewsbury had during the game, and knows that the squad next season needs to have players who can conjure similar opportunities consistently.
Glenn Morris completed his second stint with the Football Club with his 41st clean sheet. He made several key saves throughout, and Ainsworth praised the goalkeeper for his incredible efforts not just through his tenure as boss, but for Morris' contributions since his return to the Gills in 2022.
Ainsworth looked ahead to a crucial summer and thanked the supporters for their superb support throughout the campaign.
Assessment of the game...
The performance was bang average, honestly. I don't like saying that, but I am going to be honest. We can play so much better than we did. We passed a few out of play, and we didn't win as many seconds as I wanted. We didn't have as many gilt-edged chances as they did. They should have scored a couple. If we get those chances, I think that we score, because I think that my strikers are good, but we don't create those chances. We have to get players in who can help create those chances.
Having said that, a bit of magic from Garath McCleary, and he is a class act. I thought that it was a fitting way to win the game for Sam Vokes in his retirement. It's his best mate here and a close friend for many years.
You know what? We have been very good in some games and not gotten anything, so when I talk about how it evens itself up, that was one that definitely evened itself up.
On Glenn Morris...
Glenn has been a fantastic servant to this Football Club, and should not go unrecognised at all. Two spells, numerous games, and he is right up there with clean sheets in the bottom league. I think that he may have the record. He is a person that you will go, '42-years-old, still rushing out, still putting his head where people wouldn't put their feet.'
He made a crucial save from a free-kick, tipping it around the post. I don't think that people realise that he got a little fingertip on the lob when the boy was going clean through as well. I think that the referee not giving a corner made it seem that the boy had missed. It was a fantastic save from a fantastic guy. I wish him all the best, because he has been a real loyal servant to this club and to me. He has given me everything.
Looking ahead...
I want it next year. I want to have a big summer in the recruitment side of things. The talks have gone on behind the scenes, and you will find out that there are some players in that team today who know that they are not here next year. That is a testament to them as well.
The supporters and another season of great support...
It was a really nice moment celebrating with the fans and saying thank you to the Rainham End and the sides alongside, because the fans are the club. The fans don't move. I move clubs, the players move clubs, a lot of the staff come and go, but the fans will never change. They will never waver from this club, and it is their club.
Hopefully, there is a lot more to come.
They are with us, but they are with Gillingham. I know how much Gillingham means to them.
