Manager Neil Harris has praised Gillingham’s new owners for the energy they have brought to the club - and to him.

The Gills boss had some tough times before Brad and Shannon Galinson invested in the League 2 side. It’s not just their money making a difference, however.

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Harris said: “When I think of American people I think of the Ryder Cup, golf, and what they are like in that - passionate and vocal. Brad and Shannon are like that, every day they are like that.

“They have brought in the energy and excitement and every day they give me that support and energy. I had an American owner at Millwall who was exactly the same.

“Everyone is excited and we have momentum, it is a new start, everyone is happy with everybody now and there is that alignment within the football club. The players have still got to make it happen on the pitch.”

Results have improved dramatically, with wins, goals and points coming much more regularly since the start of the year. The Gills are now just a point away from climbing out of the drop zone.

Saturday will be another big test as they travel north to face play-off chasing Mansfield Town.

Gills signed two of their best players last month - midfielder George Lapslie and striker Oli Hawkins - and their manager Nigel Clough spoke of clubs like Gillingham being “on a different level” to their own after “changing the landscape of the January transfer window”.

Lapslie has yet to start for the Gills as Harris has kept faith with a winning team. He could choose to rotate, however, with a midweek game against Grimsby Town coming up on Tuesday. Hawkins, meanwhile, will hope to have shaken off a rib injury he picked up at the weekend against Crawley.

The Gills are certainly in a better place now than when they last met Mansfield in September. Fans booed the team off after a 2-0 loss with Lapslie winning a penalty and scoring for the Stags that day - hushing the Rainham End as he celebrated.

It’s all change now as the Gills head to the One Call Stadium.

Harris has faced supporter criticism during his spell as Gills boss - including in that loss to Mansfield - but now has the tools to succeed.

He said: “99% of the fanbase were very supportive of me, even when we were losing and went to the bottom of the league. Me and my family massively appreciate that.

“I don’t do social media, fortunately. I don’t get involved in that, it is the fans that come [to games] that I care about. I am a passionate guy, I enjoy being here, I work extremely hard every day to try and improve this football club.

“I promised since the day I walked in that this club would be in a better place when I leave. I said there might be some knocks along the way [but] I stand by it.

“I just want to enjoy my job. My job is to develop this club and develop the players on a daily basis. I get up before my alarm goes off in the morning at 5.30am, that is how much I am enjoying it here.”