Martin Allen proud of squad togetherness
Martin Allen has said his emphasis all season has been on building a successful team rather than bring in big name individual players.
The Gills are five points clear going in to this afternoon’s game against Accrington Stanley at MEMS Priestfield, and he said the team unity is as strong as ever.
He said: “Our team has been put together as a team; someone asked me the other week about a marquee signing.
“A marquee signing I said to him. Why do we want a tent in our team? And he said a big name to get the supporters going, and I said I don’t think you will get one of those when I am the Manager here because I try to put together decent teams.
“There are no stars or super stars and everyone we have got supports each other, they work together, look after each other and they help each other.
“That’s what it is built on, that’s what the recipe has been and the crowd have respected that and looked after our players by backing them and supporting them by seeing the commitment they have got in the middle.
“Mr. Scally has offered big bucks for players to come here, big bucks. At times it has not been accepted or players have not wanted to drop to this division from the Championship.
“Andy has been looking with me to find these players so we have done everything we can. I have received full backing but if the players don’t want to come I do not lose any sleep.
“The team spirit and unity of the men we have got involved is outstanding.”
The Manager has been proud of the supporters all season long and re-emphasised how good they have been after seeing over 150 make the trip to Rochdale earlier in the week.
He added: “On and off the field I think we are doing a pretty good job. The training ground over Easter will be packed with supporters. We are doing our best to make it good for everybody and be in touch with supporters.
“Every player and every member of staff should clap the supporters and I think they do that.
“It must be so expensive for the people that managed to travel to all those games, they never stopped signing the other night at Rochdale.
"They were right opposite me, they just didn’t stop.
“There was a big group at the back and I had some banter with a load of them on the train on the way home from Morecambe. “When we got on to a station at Lancaster we hired the worst bus you have ever seen for the players to take them to the game. It was a 52 seater that you take the kids to the zoo for, we pulled up and all of our supporters that were on the train waited on the platform and as we came through they started singing.
“It was a whole group and it was an amazing moment and they had a big picture taken together. It was a fantastic moment in the season.
“Hopefully we can get over the line and then make the next challenge for the next target.”
To read Martin’s assessment on the threat Accrington will pose click here.
To read the comments of Captain Adam Barrett click here.