by Luke Cawdell

Gillingham boss Mark Stimson has been looking forward to Saturday's game with Charlton ever since May 24 – the day after Gills’ League 2 play-off win at Wembley.

"This is the one, isn’t it?" said Stimson.

"When you win at Wembley and you sit down the next day and think about what’s ahead of you, it’s the Charlton Athletic fixture home and away. That’s the one you really get excited about."

Stimson knows that behind the hype, his team have a job to do, though, and a big one at that.

"The boys are looking forward to it," he said. "We’ve done well at home this year against some good sides but we can’t get away from the fact that Charlton are second in the league for a reason.

"They are good and they’ve got quality. But on our pitch with the backing of our supporters and our belief, hopefully we can give them a good game.

"It will be difficult because they’ve got two or three individuals who are very good.

"They’ve also got a base of a team with two commanding centre-halves who have played at the highest level.

"We’ve got to make sure we’re ready and give a good account of ourselves and I’m sure the boys will."

The Gills boss will be telling his players what victory can do for the team and for themselves.

He said: "Whatever has gone on before, good or bad, people have an opinion of you but if you pull it off here and perform well, you can really make yourself a hero.

"If you do anything special on Saturday then all of a sudden you go up in the estimations locally like you won’t believe. It’s there for someone to do or for two people to do but hopefully collectively as a team.

"Let’s hope that byFriday everyone has got their ticket but if they haven’t, go and get one because hopefully it will be a fantastic afternoon."

Listen to Mark Stimson talking to reporter Luke Cawdellahead of the Gillingham v Charlton derby below: