by Andrew Gidley

Martin Allen has admitted he is “privileged” to have been appointed Gillingham manager but confessed he might well have been in the home dugout at Barnet on Saturday had things turned out differently.

Allen, who has had three spells in charge at Underhill, kept the North London club in the Football League last season by winning their last two games.

The rest is history with the 47-year-old taking over at Priestfield and Mark Robson – the man many tipped to replace Andy Hessenthaler in the hot-seat at Priestfield – taking the Bees job.

Allen said: “I am privileged and lucky that the chairman has given me the opportunity to come in and put a team together like this.

“It’s a good feeling to be part of a very honest, decent group of professional footballers.

“We have got team spirit, unity, great camaraderie, and there’s plenty of character in this squad as well.”

Allen admitted going back to his old club was a special day and hearing his name sung by both sets of fans was a magical moment.

He said: “I really did want the job here. I thought it was a great opportunity, and I had it in my mind that I could do it.

“I wanted to be here and take it on, and thought I owed them something because I walked out to go to Notts County at a critical stage.”

Allen has promised himself another trip back to Underhill before the end of the season as a fan, with the club set to move to a new ground at the end of the current campaign.

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