Manager Martin Allen is refusing to hit the panic button following Gills’ blank start to the season.

A 4-0 defeat at Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday followed home losses in the league and cup, all without scoring a goal.

The Gills boss said: “There is no panic. It doesn’t get me down. I have had this since I was eight years old – I have had 40 years doing this.

“The knocks set you back but you deal with it, get on with it and face up to it. No problem.”

Allen and the team will assess Saturday’s defeat on Monday morning and move on.

He added: “The players need help. It’s all well and good thinking you need to shout at them, have arguments with them but that’s the last thing they need.

“As in any walk of life, if things are going tough and it’s not quite going how you want it to go, the last thing you want is for someone to have a go at you. You want them to help you, support you and guide you through it.”

“Everyone is hurting, mentally rather than physically, because we all know we are better than that.”