Gills boss Martin Allen is relishing the prospect of people trying to knock him and his team off the top of League 2.

When you are at the top, people want to bring you down, but Allen, who admits he was Mr Nasty as a kid, says he is ready for the challenge.

He said: "I was probably the most unpopular kid ever on the football pitch so I have lived with it my whole life. I thrive on it and enjoy it, and it actually is a bit of a buzz for me.

"When I used to play, everyone used to boo me from the side of the pitch and it’s great.

"I might not be everybody’s cup of tea, which is fine but it’s the opposition ones who give the stick and that is a kind of compliment. It’s going to be the same all the way through for us now.

"The players are going to get it, I’m going to get it, we’re all going to get it. We are the ones to beat but we do play good football.

"We get it down and try to play. We play with attacking midfield players and with attacking full-backs. Good, young players are in our team.

"We are a good team, everyone knows we are a good team. So bring it on!"

Allen has the Gills fans on side, at least, with 1,000 of them chanting his name at Oxford.

"Being popular with our supporters is nice, but I do prefer it when they sing our players’ names," he said.

"It’s the players who go over that white line who have the tough task.

"I just stand on the side and encourage and help them. That’s the easy part. When you go over that white line, you have got the responsibilty
and it’s the players who deserve the credit."

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