Ehmer back ‘home’ with Gillingham
GERMAN defender Max Ehmer has returned to former club Gillingham after a year to forget with Bristol Rovers.
Ehmer was one of Rovers’ marquee signings last summer as, newly freed of debt by owner Wael al-qadi, they began to build a squad they hoped would challenge for League One promotion.
It looked a god move for the Gas at the time.
Ehmer’s 250 matches for the Gills had seen him established as one of the most repsected centre-halves in League One and he was also the captain.
Although Frankfurt-born, his whole career has been in England, starting as a trainee with Queens Park Rangers.
He was brought in at Bristol by manager Ben Garner, was made the highest-paid player and given the captaincy.
But Garner was gone by November, just short of a year with the club, and Paul Tisdale lasted only 19 games before Joey Barton came in.
After one defeat, Ehmer, 29, was publicly criticised by Barton and soon dropped and stripped of the captaincy.
It made no difference to Rovers’ fortunes, as they slid towards their eventual relegation and, now needing to free up some budget, they have cancelled his contract.
“I’m absolutely delighted to have Max Ehmer back at the club,” said Gills boss Steve Evans.
“Max is simply a top-class central defender in League One.”
Ehmer will not get the captaincy back, though, as that rests with Kyle Dempsey, with Stuart O’keefe vicecaptain.
Evans still expects Ehmer to be a big influence.
“Kyle Dempsey will remain as skipper,” said Evans.
“But I’m sure Max, with his experience and knowledge of everything around Priestfield, will be an outstanding help to young Kyle, alongside Stuart, who played a massive role last season too.”
Ehmer kept his counsel while Barton’s criticism was ringing in his ears and also had shoulder surgery before the end of the season.
But he made a short, sharp comment on Twitter after re-signing for Gillingham: “Proper place to play football,” he said, referring to it as “coming back home.”