Gills Manager says Vale game should be a fantastic occasion...
Martin Allen says he is looking forward to seeing a healthy crowd at MEMS Priestfield on Saturday when the Gills entertain second placed Port Vale.
Both clubs won on Saturday to ensure the two point gap remained the same, and Martin is hoping for some strong support when the two teams go head to head at the weekend.
He said: “I don’t even know who Port Vale played at the weekend, I’m not kidding, I just want to get on with the next game and training. I don’t know what the results were with other clubs; I don’t have any interest in it.
“We all know how well Port Vale have been doing, I saw them play last week at Dagenham and I think next week will be a fantastic occasion. Our kit man Malcolm said last night that he reckoned we are going to get 10,000 people next week and he is always right.
“I think there will be a massive crowd and I think its fair to say when we have had big crowds we haven’t done great so I don’t think the players can wait when they come out in front of nearly 10,000 people in division two.
“But they need to keep their feet on the ground, we need to do what we do and concentrate on what is important which is the performance of individual players playing to their best and go about the business for preparing for Port Vale Thursday morning which is when we start our work.”
Deon Burton scored the second in the 2-0 win over Bristol Rovers on Saturday, and Martin praised the forward for his persistent determination to improve.
He said: “He’s been a fantastic professional and having these men who have had such good football careers and seeing them train, practice and doing the extra work now at their ages.
“Deon has played in the World Cup, he has played in the Premier League and he still works in the gym, he still has a low body fat percentage, he looks after himself, he rests his body which is part of the work.
“He doesn’t train out on the pitch as much as some of the others do which is obvious. Adam Barrett is exactly the same, they are top professional people. They are not just playing around or playing for Gillingham to pick up a few quid at the end of their careers.
“We have rewarded Adam with a longer contract and Deon Burton is a great example, these are the types of people we want to represent our club – that’s what Mr. Scally wants so let’s crack on and do it.”