By Andrew Gidley

Gillingham youth team manager Mark Patterson has left Priestfield to become head of Ashford Town’s new football academy.

The 41-year-old starts work in his new post on Monday, March 22 when the PASE venture offering youngsters full-time training and academic qualifications is officially launched. It will be run jointly by the Ryman League Division 1 South club and North School.

Gills boss Mark Stimson will take on responsibility for Gillingham’s youth team for the rest of this season, along with his other coaching staff.

Stimson said: "I am sad to see him go because I appointed Mark. He has done a good job, helping bring players through.

"He is an honest guy who says what he thinks, but he feels this challenge is good for him and at the right time.

"He was totally 100 per cent sure about it, and we didn’t want to stand in his way. I send him my best wishes, hopefully he is successful, and one day he might come back to Gillingham in another capacity because he has been a good servant to this club.

"He only told me at the beginning of last week, but we want to help him start his new career."

Patterson made more than 100 league appearances for Gills between 1997 and 2002, including a start in the 1999 play-off final defeat against Manchester City at Wembley.