Gillingham FC or: How I learned to stop worrying and love the drop.

Another season in the lower leagues began to fanfare at the Priestfield.

With Andy Hessenthaler back in charge after the debacle that was Mark Stimson (I admit I was late to the party on that one, I only made a facebook group demanding for his sacking 2 hours before he was sacked.) the fans were feeling quietly optimistic.

For those of you who do not dare tread into the lower regions of the football league allow me to recap 12 months in a few lines, I shall begin in August and progress -

Simeon is going to Leeds.
Simeon is staying.
First game of the Season 5-0 victory against Swindon
Lost Away
Lost Away
Lost Away
Lost Away
Lost Away
Lost Away
Lost Away
Simeon is going to Southampton.
Simeon is staying.
Lost Away
Lost Away
Lost Away
Lost Away
Lost Away
Lost Away
Lost Away
Relegated on last day of Season
Stimson Sacked
Simeon is going to Southampton.
Simeon is going to Leeds.
Simeon is going to Everton(!).
Simeon goes to Norwich.

And that was our 12 months. From newly promoted wonder kids to the worst away record in English football.

We have however had a constructive summer. Plenty of new signings and most of them free.

We took Cody McDonald from Norwich on a 12 month loan as part of the Jackson deal. He is a young player but most Norwich fans seem to think he is going to turn out mustard.

Young Stanley Aborah an ex Ajax player has signed up for us as a free agent. Most Gillingham fans are still 50/50 about him. Sometimes he looks like pure class other times he seems to be a lazy git.

Nicky Southall is back for the third time.

But we at the Priestfield have one exceptional reason to be cheerful this season and that reason is a new Striker.
Adebayo Akinfenwa. Now don't get me wrong but if you have ever seen Resident Evil 2 you might recognise this guy.

I have it on good authority from a friend who knows our kit manager that this guy wears a XXL. We had to specially order him shirts as most companies do not manufacture shirts in that size.

He has so far come on and saved us from a 1-0 loss with an incredible goal from just outside the box and been inches away from scoring the single most powerful overhead kick the world has ever known.

So far 2 draws and one loss (at home) is not a record we want to be seeing.

We have a lot of people crocked currently including Simon King who has been out for over a year now with a nasty ankle injury.

We need to go back up for no other reason than the fact we have so many overheads we cannot afford to spend long in League 2.

UTG.