Exclusive by Luke Cawdell

Departing Gillingham boss Andy Hessenthaler and chairman Paul Scally will meet the players on Thursday when decisions are announced on who will be offered new deals.

Hessenthaler (pictured right) left his role as Gills manager on Tuesday but will remain this week to oversee player matters.

Meetings were set up with the whole playing squad by Hessenthaler earlier in the week, before he knew of his fate.

Mr Scally (pictured below) said: "Those meetings will still go ahead. Hessy will handle that with me on Thursday.

"He hasn’t actually left the club yet. He will be leaving obviously after that if he doesn’t accept the other role (as company director).

"We won’t necessarily be making decisions on certain players, until we know who the new manager will be, but there are players we will be making decisions on and we are quite happy to do that ourselves.

"We know the players who are going to be part of anything next year and I could probably do that on my own."

Hessenthaler, speaking before his removal as manager, spoke of his desire to keep player-of-the-year Danny Jackman at the club.

Jackman is one of 11 out of contract senior players awaiting news of whether they will be offered new terms.

"He was tremendous and a great lad to work with," said Hessenthaler.

"He is quiet in his own way but very constructive with what he says in the changing room because he is an experienced player.

"He is very cultured on the pitch and he makes the game look easy at times. For a small guy he has had a real influence on the season.

"Obviously he is out of contract and he is one we would hope to keep at the football club."

Hessenthaler was keen to help Mr Scally conclude the meetings on Thursday. He said: "It’s a tricky situation with the players that are out of contract and we need to deal with that properly.

"I am not just going to clear off and leave them in the lurch, that’s not the sort of person I am. It has to be done the right way and I will be in."

Decisions are also expected to be made on a number of young players, who the club have options on for another year.

They include Jack Evans, Alex Brown and Callum Davies. Discussions over a new deal with Connor Essam have already begun.