Gills keeper remaining focussed ahead of Torquay clash
Goalkeeper Stuart Nelson says he has only started thinking of a possible promotion since the 1-0 victory over Rotherham on Easter Monday.
The Gills number one pulled off a fantastic save in the second half to keep a clean sheet, but despite the club’s healthy position, Stuart is refusing to get too ahead of himself.
He said: “Football is a funny game and you can’t count for anything but the job was to get promoted at the start of the season and at the moment we are not far off it.
“Hopefully we can get it done sooner rather than later.
“It’s a good squad of players, free transfers most of them – myself included and Charlie Allen. There are no big egos, everyone will work for each other, everyone gives for each other and that has proven on the pitch.
“What people don’t see is how it works behind the scenes when we are on long away trips together away from our families. Everyone sticks together, there is no bickering and everyone is happy and that has snowballed throughout the season.
“I noticed how good the squad was in that respect in the one day I came in before I signed. I said to my wife it’s something special there and all the boys welcomed me as if I had been here all of the last season and we have done that for every other player that has come through the doors this season.
“The result against Rotherham Saturday was probably the best feeling I have had because it’s now so close but to beat Rotherham aswell who are chasing promotion too, the performance was typical of how we have played in the latter part of the season.
“Since the good run at the start we have had to grind out a few more results, 1-0 is the same as 4-0 - it’s still three points and a clean sheet and that’s what we got Saturday and that’s what made it so special.
“For me personally I feel close now and it’s the first time I have let myself feel that we are not far off because we know if we win Saturday it’s pretty much guaranteed bar goal difference.
“We were at home in front of our fans, we won the game 1-0, their Manager is very out spoken and because of where we are in the league that all adds to the mix for that feeling and it was great come the final whistle.
“Fans might excited but in the dressing room but we just go about our business and do our job and that’s from the youngest player to the oldest player and there’s a great camaraderie.
“We’ll all be doing the same thing and no-one has really changed from the first game of the season. The younger players look up to the older players so I have a responsibility to be professional at all times because you don’t know when they look at you.
“They might never say anything but they might just watch you at some point so I have a responsibility to go about my work the same every day and if it that pays off on anyone else that makes it even better.
“We know we still have a job to do until we get that magic `little P` next to our name on the league table.”
To watch Stuart’s pre-match press conference click here.
For Martin’s thoughts on Torquay United click here.