Division 1 & 2 Clubs Beware of the "Pied Piper of Gillingham"

[Colemans Left Hook]

The original Pied Piper used the " NOTES" of his flute to tempt children away from their parents  having cleared the RATS and not got paid

now Gillingham's new owner  is using "pound notes" in "Pied Piper style" to tempt established contract bound players  (some would call them RATS ?) to "dock" at Gillingham


In order to show their intent they have today made their first of many expected major signings 
namely Timothee Dieng ( brother of you know who ?) from Exeter having "triggered his release clause" - he was in te Divison 2 team of the year last season.  So guessing that might have cost £50k ??? for starters

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/64233837

"Exeter say Gillingham's bid triggered a clause in Dieng's contract - which still had 18 months left to run.

"The transfer was out of our control," Exeter boss Gary Caldwell told the club website.

"We didn't want Tim to leave, but Gillingham activated a release clause that was already in Tim's contract, meaning that ultimately it was Tim's decision to leave the club.""

 
Rochdales win last night wasn't good for them but  they have 23 games to go - many team have social distanced at the bottom of this league for the first half of a season and survived and a big wad of cash helps

Their next three matches are not necessarily make or break -IF the quality of player signed is "maintained"   but 6 points from 9 would do nicely


They are at home to Hartlepool on Saturday
then colchester away
then Crawley at home

April 7th the 4th last match of the season we visit them when they ought to be safe ??

for the home match on Feb 4 against Crawley you can pay what you want (£1  will buy a ticket --- "will Gillingham Rover will be first in the queue !!"

https://www.gillinghamfootballclub.com/news/2023/january/pay-what-you-can-for-crawley-visit/


So let's see who's next to arrive at The Priestfield Stadium

Just remembered the new owner pointed out that they are the only League club in Kent and there is a big "catchment" area   

[Colemans Left Hook]

the above signing is i fact their second" fee paying transfer"

they somehow signed  another "RAT" temped by "NOTES" from Crawley on December 28th


https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/64109595

and they only went down 1-0 away to Stevenage away

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/64092585


"Defender Carl Piergianni's third goal in two games earned promotion-chasing Stevenage a scrappy 1-0 victory over League Two's bottom side, Gillingham.

Second-placed Stevenage, who have the best home record in the fourth tier, extended the gap between them and the play-off places behind them to 12 points, while ensuring the Gills remained five points adrift of safety.

Gillingham had a great chance to take the lead in the eighth minute when Mikael Mandron put Alex MacDonald through, but his attempted dink was blocked by Stevenage goalkeeper Taye Ashby-Hammond.

That miss was punished as the home side broke the deadlock themselves in the 23rd minute when Jake Reeves' free-kick was firmly headed into the bottom corner by Piergianni.

Jordan Roberts almost added a second for Stevenage when his low effort from outside the area was turned aside by Glenn Morris.

The Gills then came close to snatching a point in the 89th minute when Robbie McKenzie's shot across goal went just wide, but it was yet another blank afternoon for the EFL's lowest scorers."

it's funny how both Gillingham and Stevenage performed exceedingly well in the Facup last weekend

better times to come for both teams and my bank manager is a very happy man.

[gillinghamrover]

will Gillingham Rover will be first in the queue !

Will he bugger! Not unless it’s Rovers they’re playing!

[Colemans Left Hook]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/64253037


League Two club Gillingham have signed striker Oli Hawkins from Mansfield Town for an undisclosed fee and turned Glenn Morris' loan into a permanent deal.

Hawkins, 30, has scored five goals in 26 appearances for the Stags this season, having been predominantly used as a centre-back by boss Nigel Clough.

Goalkeeper Morris, 39, has featured 19 times for the Gills this season after joining on loan from Crawley in July.  He has agreed a six-month deal after terminating his contract with the Reds.


next signing please ......... watch this space

these aren't "Doncastrian journeymen" (freebies)  we are talking about here.

I expect the free agent signings (if needed ) from February onwards

[Barmby Rover]

There's a hard working centre forward and a potentially extremely good centre half at a league 2 club I know........

[Colemans Left Hook]

Good win today (one in a row) and a hell of a lot of money was place on them to do it , for obvious reasons.

the next match at Colchester isn't as easy as i first thought

Colchester have won 4 out of their last five league  matches

NOW (doomsters take note)
since Colchester beat Rovers they have won 4 matches and lost 3 (all the losses were by a single goal)   YES COLCHESTER scored some wordies against Rovers earlier in the season to end a terrible run.

...............  just like they scored a few worldies when they won 4-1 after we led 1-0 at half time ...  in the season we got relegated (and i think they joined us -withourt checking)


scroll right to see the current form of the teams


update

https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/exclusive-gillingham-lodge-ambitious-transfer-approach-for-peterborough-united-player/?utm_source=thumbnail&utm_medium=internal&utm_campaign=related-stories

"League Two strugglers Gillingham have made an ambitious move for Peterborough United striker Jack Marriott, sources have exclusively informed Football League World."

[Colemans Left Hook]

here's the latest signing

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/64276387

George Lapslie: Gillingham sign Mansfield Town midfielder

Gillingham have made Mansfield Town midfielder George Lapslie their fifth signing of the January transfer window.

The 25-year-old made 32 appearances for the Stags this season, scoring seven goals - including one in a 2-0 victory at Gillingham in September.

Lapslie will be reunited at Priestfield Stadium with Oli Hawkins, who made the same move on Thursday.

The Gills have also signed Tom Nichols, Timothee Dieng and Glenn Morris this month.

Lapslie, whose contract with the Stags was due to expire this summer, was unveiled to home fans before the kick-off   ( kept that one quiet) of their game with Hartlepool United, which Neil Harris' team won 2-0.


 

[ForsolongaRover]

Perhaps the new owner will put a roof on the uncovered “Away” end of the ground. I cannot recall any less welcoming venues, although the backless seats at Ashton Gate seemed like another deliberate attempt to discomfort away fans.

[ravenrover]

Didn't Lapslie score a cracker against us at KM this season?

[Colemans Left Hook]

we have another "Pied Piper" at Colchester


- the Pied Pipers play each other on Saturday - wonder if they will sell out of pies ?

"Mansfield boss Nigel Clough has lost two of his best players to the Gills and said before the weekend that the club “are on a different level” to others.

He said: “Them (Gillingham) and Colchester are the two that have changed the landscape a lot of the January transfer window in League 2, they are offering very, very good money for League 2 and it is very difficult when they put that infront of a player.

“We are good payers here and the owners back the club incredibly well but this is on a different level.”

Gillingham have five players in the door so far but it doesn’t stop there.

“I still need to add strength in depth, and quality,” said Harris."

[Mike_F]

Didn't Lapslie score a cracker against us at KM this season?

Yes, I had him down as Mansfield's best player.

[steve@dcfd]

Majority of the players that Gillingham and Colchester have signed have been for undisclosed fees. So we wouldn’t be competing at this time of year with that anyway.
Mansfield have brought in three players so far on undisclosed fees so they managed to get players in.

[Colemans Left Hook]

great win for "The Pipers" today against an obviously improving Colchester  team plus the bonus of Hartlepool beating 9 man Rochdale.  Bank manager is doing cartwheels

[normal rules]

Gillingham’s policy of spending their way out of relegation seems to be bearing early fruit. Can they keep it up though?

[Colemans Left Hook]

Gillingham’s policy of spending their way out of relegation seems to be bearing early fruit. Can they keep it up though?

Are you serious !!!!

[normal rules]

Gillingham’s policy of spending their way out of relegation seems to be bearing early fruit. Can they keep it up though?

Are you serious !!!!

First back to back wins of the season, following a number of back to back defeats. I’d say that is progress for them. I did say early fruit.

[Colemans Left Hook]

Update on the Pied Pipers of Gillingham and Colchester (their's is trying hard to upstage Gillingham's) perhaps they should both sing play  from the same songsheet

Yesterday Gillingham resigned Masterson on loan from QPR (he played 18 games on loan last season).. Apparently 3 more signings to come.

Colchester seem to be trying to make the playoffs judging by their signings

Yesterday they only signed Tom Hopper from Lincoln.

I have known for a while Lincoln are in decline that's why their manager left at the end of last season and went to Blackpool AND GOT SACKED recently.

They have been selling the family silver for quite a while now. The words in red confirm that he didn't want to be at a club that didnt want to progress . Lincoln are the most negative team you will ever see - every man behind the ball and break when you get the ball - they have either 10 or 11 home draws this season mostly 1-1

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/64415200

Colchester United have signed striker Tom Hopper from Lincoln City for an undisclosed fee on a deal to run until the summer of 2025.

The 29-year-old scored 22 goals in 100 appearances for the Imps after joining them from Southend in 2021.

U's boss Matt Bloomfield has now brought in six new faces since the start of the January transfer window.  AND COUNTING !!

"I had the chance to join a club that wants to progress and the deal ticks a lot of boxes," Hopper told BBC Essex.

"Like anywhere, when you come in you have to work hard and earn your place and I imagine it'll be no different here.

"There's plenty of squad depth so I'm looking forward to that competition and start pushing people on, helping everyone else progress."

---------------------

TODAY Colchester have also signed a defender from West Ham for yet another undisclosed fee

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/64424283

" Colchester United have signed West Ham United defender Will Greenidge on a two-and-a-half year contract.

Greenidge did not play for the Hammers first team but made three appearances for their under-21 side in the EFL Trophy earlier this season.

The 20-year-old right-back is the seventh signing made by the U's since the start of the transfer window.

He came through the West Ham academy and scored his first goal in a 2-1 EFL Trophy win at Cheltenham in October.

No details of any fee or compensation have been disclosed by the two clubs 
"

obviously these 2 clubs are going to be challenging for promotion next seson along with Wrexham  and Notts County (if they make) it


so it's going to be even harder for us to get out (upwards !!!) next season


Lincoln are 10/1 for relegation this season -- Forest Green have bought a load of players ( ( "translating" what the owner said on tv yesterday the manager was going to be sacked anyway for Massy Ferguson)and were unlucky against 10 man Bolton so let's see if Lincoln survive by the skin of their teeth and finish 5th bottom.

they are certainly on course to get relegated next season

[Wiltshire Exile]

To quote:

"I had the chance to join a club that wants to progress and the deal ticks a lot of boxes," Hopper told BBC Essex.

It really makes me cringe when I read statements like this. Perhaps I’m been too cynical but surely it should read: “I had the chance to join a club that is going to pay me a bigger wage and give me longer contract? Nothing wrong in that at all…why not just admit it? (Mind you, maybe he’s right and just wanted to leave Lincoln?)

[Colemans Left Hook]

To quote:

"I had the chance to join a club that wants to progress and the deal ticks a lot of boxes," Hopper told BBC Essex.

It really makes me cringe when I read statements like this. Perhaps I’m been too cynical but surely it should read: “I had the chance to join a club that is going to pay me a bigger wage and give me longer contract? Nothing wrong in that at all…why not just admit it? (Mind you, maybe he’s right and just wanted to leave Lincoln?)

i don't think I have ever seen such a blatant kick in the teeth as that -- he wasn't playing a lot for the first team though (maybe due to their defensive tactics)

 Remember their financial backer is a South African (who lives there and last season he was getting his mates to throw money in ) - I highlighted this last season on here - they also issued or tried to issue a bond to develop one stand where you could choose what interst you got INCLUDING the 0% interest rate over say 5 years -- with no guarrantee of getting your money back if the club went bust.