Gillingham cause a stir after sacking their manager despite club sitting 8th in League Two

Gillingham cause a stir after sacking their manager Neil Harris despite the club sitting 8th in League Two at the time of the decision.

The Gills have made the call to remove manager after a run of three league games without a win, but have so far taken 19 points from 11 games played overall, and are just a point off the automatic promotion places.

They had topped the table after winning their first four league games, however, with four defeats in seven since then, the Kent outfit are now outside the playoff zone.

Club Statement | Neil Harrishttps://t.co/SRh0dTlv1h#Gills

— Gillingham FC (@TheGillsFC) October 5, 2023

CLUB STATEMENT:

Gillingham Football Club has today decided to part company with Manager Neil Harris, who has been in charge at Priestfield for just over 20 months.

Having joined the Club in February of 2022, Neil nearly kept the team in League One, getting relegated on the last day of the season on goal difference, making up a 10-point deficit in the process.

The Club has decided it now wishes to go in a different direction and will begin the process of identifying a Head Coach to take the team forward.

David Livermore will also be leaving the Club.

In the meantime, Keith Millen will take control of first-team matters on an interim basis with immediate effect.

The Club wishes Neil and David best wishes in the future and we thank them for their hard work over the past two seasons.

It comes after Crewe extended their unbeaten League Two run to six matches as they beat Gillingham on Tuesday night.

Connor O’Riordan and Tom White netted in each half to climb up to third in the table, leapfrogging their opponents.

Harris said, as per Kent Online: “In some ways I feel hard done by because in the first half we had the best chances, we have to take out chances, we’ve had four or five really clear-cut guilt-edged chances and we haven’t taken them.

“I though the difference on the night was Mickey Demetriou, their senior centre-half, he was strong and organised and I could hear him all night, he curtailed a lot of our attacks with his experience. When our chances did come along we didn’t take them.

“We can talk around the houses and sugarcoat it as much as we want. First half we played in spells really well, second half when I made the subs they had no impact whatsoever and that’s disappointing.

“We tried to force the game, make the changes, go more attacking and at times we lost our way with that so that’s something for me to consider, certainly when chasing the game.

“I am just very conscious that it’s three away games now where I feel like we have fallen short at times and I think when you look back at chances created, ours are certainly better than theirs, but we lost the game.”

📹 | Some post-match thoughts from the #Gills boss. pic.twitter.com/91N2FAcsq3

— Gillingham FC (@TheGillsFC) October 3, 2023

Here’s how fans reacted as Gillingham cause a stir after sacking their manager despite the club sitting 8th in League Two…

@lillegs85: Oh wow, abit out of the blue this. Shame and gutted it didn’t work out for Neil.

@AGraizevsky: In reality other than a few incredibly lucky 1-0’s at the start of the season – we’ve been playing like a bottom half side. Much rather act now than wait a few months, the poor football to continue, and it be too late to change our season…

@GKSimmo: I’ve just seen the news and I’m a little stunned. Yes, we aren’t scoring freely, but we’ve won plenty of games in 2023. If we weren’t in the play-off mix come the end of November then I would’ve understood this decision. A huge job for whoever comes in next. #Gills

@StockyD_14: Wow! Was not expecting this at all! Nearly achieved the impossible when he first came in and appears to have divided the fanbase ever since especially this season when demand has increased. Wish him all the best. Personally think can count himself a bit hard done by #Gills

@PrivateRanter: Well the boo-boys will be pleased, not sure many of the quieter majority will be. Assuming the owners have someone huge lined up.

@LiamBur27937559: Do feel for Neil but was never going to be anything but a mid table side watching a defensive minded team I do feel he has created a brilliant team that can really achieve in this league but hasn’t been able to execute it I wish him all the best thank you for everything!

@Alex_Mulcrow93: Not sure about this. Wrong decision in my opinion #gills

@BQGillsFan: Utterly, utterly baffling. 4 points of top, when you consider where we were last season. Yes the football has not been perfect, but have we suddenly become so entitled that sitting in the playoffs is suddenly not good enough? I really don’t know what comes next 💙 #Gills

@brasenoseblue: I’m not sure how anyone can think this is unexpected. We have ambitious owners who have not seen the best for their investment. Yes, results matter but so does entertaining the paying fans. Onwards and upwards.

@mentalgellarr: That’s come out of the blue! Not too sad about it though, hopefully a new manager will get the best out of what is a very talented squad.

@SimonJa52106361: Not sure how I feel about to be honest. I’m tended to want to give managers a chance. I think Christmas would have been a better yardstick and if it wasn’t working give someone a chance in January

@chrisrainbow78: Feels to me that he should have at least got Saturday

@J_Ashby06: I actually can’t believe this

@Fitzy_98: Feels slightly unfair I can’t lie. But our expectations are sky high now so not surprised he’s gone 🙃

@l_searle003: Well… that was unexpected

@KevBuschhold: Thank you Neil Harris for a fantastic job keeping Gillingham in the league last season and energising the club during a difficult takeover period. The new owners must know what they are doing… Frank Lampard 🤷‍♂️ or Neil Warnock 😂😂😂 anyone #gills

@soi6cufc: F*** me you’ve got keith millen in charge… good luck there, quite possible the worst manager in Carlisle’s history

@Harry15Bradford: well that was a bit harsh

@BillyBrightGFC: No lost sleep over Harris being sacked. Performances have been tepid. Results a struggle. And the Goals For says it all. No point in waiting. 1 point of 2nd but now is the right time. Fair play Brad and Shannon #gills #gillingham

@pdunmall: Ultimately the style of football has cost Neil his job. This is his team and they haven’t done enough. Neil, Hess and Jacket had to get a goal scorer in the summer and failed miserably. We have 5/6 strikers none of which are goal scorers.

@DanielB83025210: Unbelievable. Thought he should get at least until Christmas. Nathan Jones or Scott Lindsay to be next Manager if it were my choice but not a conversation I thought we should be happening now.