Gillingham manager Neil Harris believes midweek opponents Brentford are proof lower league teams can make it big - but only with investment.

The Gills are rumoured to be attracting serious interest from a wealthy US-based businessman. Harris said on Tuesday after their shock win over Brentford that they need help to climb out of the lower reaches of the Football League.

Harris said: “Since I walked into the club 10 months ago I have been nothing but honest, I was asked where we are at the moment and it was an opportunity for me to express where we are as a football club.

“I was proud of the supporters for coming in their numbers on Tuesday night, I was more pleased for them than anyone, they have been through a tough couple of years.

“The football club needs help to move forward and the supporters want to see a successful football club.

“We need infrastructure, support and investment, it is difficult for everyone working within the club at the moment, to hit the standards when we haven’t got that financial support or the infrastructure.

“The guys above me are working diligently to get something done but we need that support, it is the only way we will move forward as a football club.

“You only can (achieve) with investment and infrastructure and that takes time. Look at Brentford from where they have come. Brentford are an example, as are Brighton, of where you can get to. You are talking big investment but that is built over time, it’s not like people can come in and say ‘we’ll put £50m into a club’ they might at Newcastle and Man City, but not at this level, you have to build it, that is the right way of doing it.

“This is a brilliant club, a great location, a great fanbase, a great catchment area. It has come a long way since I walked into the building, you don’t see it results-wise on a Saturday but behind the scenes, the structure and the academy now is moving in the right direction but you can only take it so far with an empty pot to build it. The potential is there.”

Harris joined the Gills at the end of January and knew what challenge he faced. Even with relegation to League 2 his transfer budget is still in the lower reaches but he knew what he was getting into.

“There has been no reneging on promises,” he said. “I knew exactly where we would be in League 1 and 2 when I took over and I accepted the challenge, I stick by that. Every day is a challenge, but no promises have been broken, nothing like that.

“(Owner-chairman) Paul Scally and with (co-chairman) Paul Fisher coming in, they have been honest with me, that is why we are where we are are. I understand that, I don’t moan about it, I get on with it, again fans need to know that moving forward we need that support and hopefully it comes.

“I came in last year hoping we were going to create a miracle and stay in the division and we got so close, all that did was give people a false dawn that this year we could be top 7,8 or 10 in League 2, it can happen, I am not saying it still can’t happen this year, but football is so driven by budgets and finances. I think people get tired of managers and clubs talking about it, but they talk about it because it is true.

“Look at the Premier League table, Championship, League 1, anyone can chuck a name back, like Barrow for example at the moment who have a similar budget to us but they are near the top and we’re near the bottom, but then the next 10 have a bigger budget than us. That is how it works, that is how football has gone.

“Nothing has changed from my perspective, 100% honesty with me, I just always want more, I see so much good within the club and so much promise, I see a wonderful opportunity at the training ground, a brilliant stadium, just needs tidying. I see staff that love the club and work tirelessly and work ridiculous hours doing all sorts of jobs to support the club and an owner that has been supportive for 28 years, now we just need some further support.”