Gillingham old boy Steve Bruce has backed the club’s new manager to get Priestfield rocking.

The former Gills defender, who has made a career in football at the top level, was one of the first to phone Steve Evans and congratulate him on his appointment at Priestfield.

Winning at home has been a problem for the Gills for the last two seasons and Evans knows all too well what can happen if the team don’t produce regularly on their own turf, something he encountered at former club Peterborough.

Evans said: “The support base is there, it’s huge, but people want a winning product and winning at home is something I never achieved (enough) at Peterborough and I will regret it forever.

“I want to get us winning here (at Priestfield). I have been successful everywhere else at home.

“I have known Steve a long time and he said we could get that place rocking the way (former boss) Tony Pulis had it, those were his words.”

Evans admitted it took several weeks to get over his dismissal from Peterborough, having left the club sixth in the League 1 table.

But he had no argument after reflecting on his time at his hometown club.

“We went away from home and without a doubt we were the best team in the league,” said Evans, who won 4-2 at Priestfield against Gillingham while in charge of Posh.

“We won eight of our first nine away games, I think.

“Nobody wanted to succeed in that role more than me and that’s probably why I took it so bad but the chairman’s (Darragh MacAnthony) words were 100% right, if your home form is not strong and the performances are not exciting, not making people get off their seats, they were the reasons.

“At Peterborough the chairman invests millions every year and he gave us every opportunity.”

Money isn’t everything, though, and Evans is sure he can succeed on less.

“Within our means, the chairman will give us every chance here,” explained Evans. “As Doncaster Rovers proved, getting that last play-off place and being very unfortunate not to get to Wembley, you can understand it is not always about budgets.

“Paul Scally (the Gills chairman) has spoken about investors and there is nothing more that makes investors come forward than a successful team at Priestfield.”

Gillingham are hosting an open forum at the ground on Tuesday between 7.30pm and 9.30pm with Evans taking questions from supporters.

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