by Luke Cawdell

Martin Allen thanked those behind the scenes at Cheltenham for making his return so welcoming.

The Gills boss, pictured with Jason Taylor, was back at Cheltenham as a manager for the first time since leaving them in December, 2009.

His reign at Whaddon Road didn’t go to plan as he was unable to pull the club clear of relegation in League 1 and then struggled to turn them into winners during the first half of their League 2 campaign the following season. Allen left after 15 months in charge.

He received some stick from the home terraces, where he had once stood as a boy, cheering his father Dennis' team on during Cheltenham’s Southern League era.

But it wasn’t all bad for Allen, who received a large welcome from almost 1,500 Gillingham fans.

Allen said: “I shook all their (players) hands as they came off the pitch, including the management team and hope they go up. I couldn’t give a monkeys what the supporters think about me.

“I love this place and it will always be special to me. The welcome I had from the staff and all the people behind the scenes I worked here with – they all know I worked my best and did my best.

“It was nice to see so many people and for them all to be so friendly to me.”