Head coach Stephen Clemence enjoyed celebrating with the Gillingham fans on Saturday and knows the importance of a good rapport with those supporters.

Clemence got to meet some of the Gillingham fans during the opening of the club shop on Friday night and is keen to build that connection between the pitch and the stands.

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“It was nice to get in front of the supporters and give them something to cheer about,” Clemence said, after his first home league game ended in a 3-1 win over Salford.

“I don’t think you have any success if you’re not connected with the supporters onto the pitch, when there is a disconnect you don’t achieve anything. We need to make sure we are all on the same page.

“We are all trying to achieve the same thing here and one thing I can tell the supporters is that this group of players will give their all for them.

“They might not always get it right but their effort and commitment is fully there, I have seen it over a couple of weeks, it won’t always go well but if they give us that work rate then I am sure they will win more than they lose.”

The fans were singing Clemence’s name at Priestfield during the victory over Salford although the head coach admitted he was concentrating so much on the action that he didn’t notice.

“I have to be honest, I didn’t hear it!” he said.

“That’s no disrespect to any of them, I was that focused on the game and I hope I haven’t ignored them.

“I went to see them at the end and they were great with me.

“It was lovely coming out at the start, I got a lovely reception and that was nice.

“I am hoping we can give the supporters something to shout about in the long run.”

Clemence described Saturday’s first home league match as the start of a new era. The performance in the second half, at least, suggested the type of game he wants his team to play as they cruised to the three points in the end.

He said: “I have worked a long, long time, up the coaching ladder, I have earned my stripes.

“I am enjoying being in the head coaching role, I am enjoying that responsibility, it does feel like a big responsibility, a bigger one than I have had before but I am hoping I can help bring the club success.”