Football Season Guide

League 2

England

League 2

2022/2023

Gillingham

In

Ashley Maynard-Brewer (Goalkeeper, Charlton Athletic, Season-long loan); Jake Turner (Goalkeeper, Newcastle United); Bailey Akehurst (Defender, Youth); Cheye Alexander (Defender, AFC Wimbledon); Elkan Baggott (Defender, Ipswich Town, Season-long loan); Ryan Law (Defender, Plymouth Argyle, Season-long loan); Will Wright (Defender, Dagenham & Redbridge); Dominic Jefferies (Midfielder, Brentford); Jordan Green (Midfielder, Dulwich Hamlet); Mikael Mandron (Attacker, Crewe Alexandra); Scott Kashket (Attacker, Crewe Alexandra)

Out

Aaron Chapman (sp) (Goalkeeper, Stevenage); Pontus Dahlberg (sp) (Goalkeeper, Watford, Loan ended); Conor Masterson (sp) (Defender, Queens Park Rangers, Loan ended); Christian Maghoma (Defender, Eastleigh); Harvey Lintott (Defender, Northampton Town); Jack Tucker (k) (Defender, Milton Keynes); Robbie McKenzie (r) (Defender, released); Ryan Jackson (r) (Defender, Cheltenham Town); Ben Thompson (r) (Midfielder, Peterborough United); Danny Lloyd (sp) ((Midfielder, released); Dan Phillips (sp) (Midfielder, Watford Loan ended); Gerald Sithole (Midfielder, Bolton Wanderers); Henry Woods (Midfielder, Maidstone United); Josh Chambers (r) (Midfielder, releasedl); Mustapha Carayol (Midfielder, released); Charlie Kelman (sp) (Attacker, Queens Park Rangers, Loan ended); Tom Dickson-Peters (Attacker, Norwich City, Loan ended); Vadaine Oliver (r) (Attacker, Bradford City)

Neil Harris didn’t mince his words as Gillingham were relegated from League One last season. He was unable to save the Kent club from falling back into League Two after taking over from Steve Evans in January and accused the players of not being good enough. He admitted there were only a couple of players under contract that he would like to keep. He has had to completely rebuild his squad this summer with four influential players rejecting the offer of new deals. Striker Vadaine Oliver has signed for Gillingham whilst centre-back Jack Tucker, wing-back Robbie McKenzie and midfielder Josh Chambers are still in the market for new clubs. Harris has already been dealt a blow with goalkeeper Ashley Maynard-Brewer suffering a dislocated shoulder in a pre-season friendly barely a week after signing on a season-long loan from Charlton Athletic and will now need to find a replacement. He has raided the non-league scene for centre-back Will Wright and winger Jordan Wright whilst centre-back Elkan Baggott brings plenty of potential with him after signing on a season-long loan from Ipswich Town. Strikers Mikael Mandron and Scott Kashket have both joined having also suffered relegation with Crewe Alexandra and certainly have the pedigree to score goals in League Two. Harris will be recruiting players right up until the transfer window closes in September and having made so many changes, it seems like a season of consolidation is on the cards for the Gills.

Target

Top-half. Gills fans might be hoping for more but with Harris having to almost completely rebuild his squad, a top-half finish seems more realistic.