Club Captain calls on his troops to keep going as Gills look to stay in the hunt for a top six finish.
Captain Kyle Dempsey says in-form Gillingham are “genuine play-off contenders” as they enter the business end of the season.
The Gills sit a mere two points off the top six, albeit having played slightly more games than most, in one of the most congested and unforgiving Sky Bet League One seasons in memory. With only nine matches remaining, however, the midfielder has urged his teammates to leave nothing in the tank as they attempt to propel themselves into that play-off mix.
Dempsey, speaking with the local press, said: “We are positive. The Doncaster draw was another game unbeaten and we go into Hull full of confidence.
“Our recent results have given us that lift. You can imagine how tired the players are on a daily basis but once you are over that white line you forget about that and it is all about putting in a performance and trying to get three points.
“We don’t see ourselves as underdogs. I am a guy who loves winning. All I want to do when I cross the line is win; I want to win in training and in everything I do. We have to be ambitious and keep going.
“For us, it’s all about trying to get as many three points as we can and get ourselves in those play-offs. If we can get in there, there aren’t too many teams who would like to play us. We just have to keep going.”
The Gills fended off strong competition to land an in-demand Dempsey from Fleetwood last summer and he was rewarded with the captaincy by manager Steve Evans soon after his arrival. The midfield-dynamo, clearly relishing his time at ME7, has chipped in with eight goals and has quickly become a fan-favourite in his efforts to repay the management team.
He said: “I’ve come to Gillingham to develop my game. The Gaffer has made me captain, which I find a huge responsibility, and it’s given me that extra drive to get the team over the line. There are times in games when I haven’t got any energy left but I have that feeling that I need to keep going and I need to keep driving the team.
“When you have staff who believe in you the way these do, through their words and their praise, I know I have to perform for them. I need to repay them for how well they have treated me since I have been here.”