This Country
One year on from taking the reins at Bath City, Jerry Gill believes he has the characters to drive the club into the top seven in National League South. Last Friday marked the first anniversary of Gill’s appointment to the Twerton Park hotseat, which brought about a shift to the Romans’ footballing paradigm. An attractive, passing style is now the name of the game for City, which has shown signs of bearing fruit with the team already well among the play-off battle. But also with Gill’s appointment came the expected turnover of players – and some additions behind the scenes – which the boss believes has changed the dressing room for the better. “Quick, it’s gone very quick,” Gill told the Chronicle following the FA Cup win over Lewes. “There’s been a lot of change since I’ve come in and I’ve added not only personnel, playing staff, but also staff, and I feel as though we’ve got a really good team that help me and work with me really, really well. “They’ve all got an input, they all have a say and we work really hard together, prepare for every game meticulously. “I feel now that we’ve got the right characters as well. I’m unsure about last year when I came in whether we had the right characters to go and win that game today. No disrespect to them, it was just different. “I feel now like we’ve got good characters in the dressing room. The people outside of the squad today are in there celebrating with them now, people who are on the bench are giving me information, helping me out as well. “Andy Watkins, Sean Rigg, Kev Amankwaah, Matt Richards, these are all really good characters who are finding it tough being injured or out of the team at the moment, but they don’t cause us any problems. “They’ll speak to me because they want to be playing, all of them, but they’re good people.” The Romans boss has also found himself feeling right at home with those behind the scenes. Gill added: “I’ve enjoyed working with Paul Williams [football chairman] and Nick Blofeld [club chairman], and all the board. They’ve been very good to me and backed me. “We know where we are with the budget, we have to work within it if we can, but days like this help it, obviously. “It’s gone quick, so I have enjoyed it, and hopefully we’ll be sat here in another year’s time talking to you.” In terms of targets for the second year of his reign, Gill believes his side are already well on the right track. “I’ve got to enjoy what I do and I enjoy coming in to work,” he said. “I like working with this group of players and this football club. I matters and I care. “Sometimes your emotion runs away with you like any sportsman, and today, first half, perhaps I’m getting a little bit emotional and me and Ross [Stearn] are having a little bit with each other, because he wants to win and I want to win, that’s why it is. We talk properly then at half-time. “We’re trying to drive the club in the right direction and we want to get in the play-offs by the end of the season. “That’s the target at the moment, can we get in the play-offs and can we have a nice little cup run. “At the moment we’ve done both, got ourelves in good positions, but no means done everything. “I’m looking forward to the next bit and hopefully we can have a successful one.” The future looks bright too, after the 3-2 victory over Bishops Lydeard, Billy Clark, Academy Manager, was pleased with how the youth and senior players blended as a team. He said: “The experience alongside them (Academy players), particularly the strength, seniority and organisational skills or first-time players, gives them a chance a little bit. “Lads like Kevin Amankwaah and Matt Richards have been outstanding with them.”