Steve Lovell believes the fun-factor has been a key ingredient for Gillingham’s upturn in form.

The caretaker manager oozes positivity and that has been rubbing off on the players.

After taking seven points from four games in League 1, Lovell is now in charge of their FA Cup first round match against Leyton Orient on Saturday.

Lovell was backed by 96% of supporters earlier this week, responding to a kentonline survey asking whether he should take over permanently.

He said: “If I enjoy it then the players enjoy it. It rubs off on people.

“The boys are decent, they are good on the ball and they are enjoying it. They have proved that. If you are getting out of it what you want on a Saturday, then you are going to enjoy it.”

Players are also less likely to get the hairdryer treatment, with Lovell preferring a more measured approach when it comes to criticism.

He said: “People don’t want to make mistakes, they don’t want to do things wrong.

“If you give them licence to do what they like doing and not get on to them if they make a mistake, then they appreciate it, rather than getting on at them and shouting.

“I will only shout at them if they don’t put in the effort. If they don’t put in the effort then they won’t be on the pitch, they’ll be off. They know that.

“We have to have people firing on all cylinders every time we go out on the pitch and that’s what we’re getting at the moment.”

More on the Gills in this Thursday's Medway Messenger newspaper