Gillingham boss Steve Lovell says side have plenty to play for with 11 games remaining
07:43, 05 March 2018
Gillingham boss Steve Lovell isn’t ruling anything out as his side embark on their final 11 games of the season.
Survival looks assured and the Gills are currently sitting mid-table – an impressive achievement for Lovell, who took over a side sitting second-bottom.
Lovell isn’t getting caught up in any play-off talk, focusing on survival first, but he knows there is still plenty to play for.
He said: “League 1 survival has been our key aim and that was what we first talked about. I know we are only seven points off the play-offs and anything could happen, but we have to take each game as it comes.
“It is never over until the season is over, you need to make sure you are comfortable and in a decent position as quickly as you can.”
While the manager has avoided talking up a possible play-off push, it’s one fans have been looking at with hope.
“It is natural reaction, I don’t mind it,” added Lovell. “I was talking to supporters on the train home (last) Saturday (from Bury). They are loving what they are seeing and they know the boys are working hard and giving everything, that is the main thing.
“We are getting the best out of the players and the majority of the times they produce their best.
“If you get three or four players who are not going as well as they can do that’s what happened (at Bury). In the first 45 minutes, boys who have had good seasons weren’t but you have games like that. It’s done and dusted, you get on with the next one.”
With the Rotherham home game called off, the Gills are next in action at Portsmouth this Saturday. Fans will be travelling in their numbers to Fratton Park, with more than 1,000 tickets sold already.The club have an allocation of 1,400.
The match is all-ticket meaning fans will be unable to pay on the day. Tickets are priced at £23 for adults, £17 over-63s, £10 for unaccompanied under-18s and £5 for those attending with an adult or senior.