Plenty of choice for Gills
Gillingham
Gillingham caretaker boss Peter Taylor insists there are no shortage of candidates for the permanent position.
Not since Stan Ternent departed at the end of the club’s stint in the Championship more than a decade ago has a manager left of his own free will.
Ady Pennock became the latest casualty on Monday, leaving Priestfield by mutual consent following the 3- 0 defeat at Rochdale last Saturday.
Taylor was sacked himself by Gills chairman Paul Scally midway through the 2014-15 season. But despite the pitfalls, being in charge at Gillingham remains attractive.
Taylor said: “I am sure the chairman has been inundated with emails or texts from agents and representatives of potential managers.
“I am sure there are a lot of people out there who would either have it as their first club or they would be experienced managers who would say they know the level and all that.
“I have seen quite a lot of the emails that have come in and people do want to work.”
Asked if the club’s position – in the League 1 relegation zone – would put them off, Taylor said: “If that has put them off, then we probably wouldn’t want them anyway.
“I think, if you are realistic, you are going to come in here and it’s going to be a fight.
“We have to be organised, hard to beat and you have to get the best out of your players. That is the job.
“People look at the position we are in and so and so and if people want the job, then they have to believe in themselves that they are going to turn it around.
“It will take a certain type, a type that knows players for this level, because there is no point coming here thinking you are going to play like Barcelona – that won’t be the case, it’s unrealistic.
“It is a right battle from now through to December before you can then sign some players and that is the job in hand.”
Taylor started his role as caretaker boss with a goalless draw at home to Scunthorpe on Tuesday night.
Gills travel to Blackburn on Saturday where they will come up against former player Bradley Dack before making the trip to Colchester on Tuesday for a Checkatrade Trophy group match. Tonbridge have been rocked by news that midfielder Tom Parkinson is facing another three months out. Parkinson’s broken ankle hasn’t healed as expected and will require surgery. Angels boss Steve McKimm said: “I’m gutted for us but more so for Tom. “Because he had a clean break he was told it would fuse without the need for an operation. “Unfortunately, it hasn’t fused properly so they will now need to break the bone and put a plate in, so we’re not looking at getting him back until January. “You listen to the medics but unfortunately, Mother Nature hasn’t helped. “It’s a nightmare for him and I feel for him because he’s a top man and a top player and he’s done everything to the letter to get himself right.” Parkinson’s setback has taken some of the shine off a good week for Angels, who are up to ninth in the Bostik Premier after back-to-back victories. Alex Akrofi scored the winner in a 1- 0 success at Burgess Hill on Saturday, with Joe Turner and Andre McCollin on target as Angels beat Dorking Wanderers 2- 0 at Longmead on Tuesday. McKimm said: “We’ve kept two clean sheets and scored a goal or two, so we’ve got to be happy. “We’ve not given silly goals away or allowed silly chances to happen. “From front to back we’ve looked more solid and assured. “We seem to be coming together but it is only two games and we know how quickly football can change. “We couldn’t buy a win and now we have two on the spin but we can’t get carried away.” Tonbridge go to sixthplaced Kingstonian on Saturday and host Margate on Tuesday, provided Steve Watt’s Blues side avoid an FA Cup replay against Herne Bay.