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BLIND, STUPID AND DESPERATE
 
01/02: Preview: Gillingham
Opposition opinion
by Gillingham fan Ian Harris

What happened last season?
Personally, at the start of the season I would have taken 21st or better, an opinion that I held until the final month of the season when we were looking safe and strong candidates for a top half finish. We ended up top (of the bottom half) which was great as far as I was concerned.

What's going to happen next season?
After the 'better than expected' end to last season I was thinking that a high mid-table, even maybe pushing for play-off finish was not beyond our grasp. However, we have made no moves in the transfer market during the close season SO FAR with the exception of losing a key first team player in Nicky Southall to Bolton. I still think that we should be okay for survival but I think we will be closer to 21st than 6th.

Can you recommend a pub for away fans?
I don't really know any 'unfriendly' pubs near Priestfield but that could be because I stick to one (the Britton Farmer) but the Southern Belle (next to the railway station) is generally popular with the away fans.

What's the nearest railway station?
Gillinghmn atation is the nearest (45 minute journey from Victoria) and is a 5 minute walk from the ground (out the front exit turn left to double back on yourself and straight on).

Where is the best place to park?
The council have recently changed the parking restrictions near to the ground making it harder to park on matchdays. The car park near the railway station is generally the best option - it is where the visiting coaches normally park.

Soundbites
"Swindon are going down."

"Had to get a plug in for Hessie! So why do your lot hate him so much? The only time he got more stick than from your fans was when we used to play Luton!"

"I like cheese."

"If Watford want to go up this year they could do worse than bung in a £3million offer for the Gills' Marlon King before his value goes through the roof."

"The squad is weaker than the beginning of 1998-99."

"I predicted Gills would finish 14th in When Saturday Comes last season. Nearly everyone else said we'd go down. The order of things is changing. This is our millennium. I'm serious, we were rubbish in almost all of the last one."

"I'd hate us to go up this season or next. Losing nearly every Premiership game is not my idea of fun! Give us 3 years."

"Andy Hessenthaler is a very nice man.  Definitely not a short, greedy bastard!  Okay, I'll admit he's short..."

"Our chairman is an egotistical maniac and a control freak.  He bought our club back from the brink to highs that we have never experienced before and I love him for it.  I can't shake the feeling that it's all going to end in tears though."