GILLINGHAM chairman Paul Scally is pushing on with plans to move the club to Gravesham, despite Gravesend and Northfleet FC’s wishes to go it alone.

The Fleet have issued a statement saying they wanted to have their own ground in the area rather than having Gillingham "transported in".

Mr Scally said these comments were "premature" as discussions regarding a joint venture were still at an early stage.

"I’m very surprised because we have on-going discussions and I think it’s too early to make decisions because none of us know which way we are going," said Mr Scally.

"We are moving out of Priestfield and if it’s in Gravesham then it is. It won’t conflict with themselves because supporters will support who they support. We believe that Kent should have an arena and that it should be sited in the right area. I’m not disappointed and if that’s what they want to do then I respect that."

Fleet chairman Brian Kilcullen said it would be "better for football, better for the town and better for the club" if they were to pursue a new stadium of their own.

Despite this, Mr Kilcullen has still left the door slightly open for further dialogue, adding: "If the powers that be decide they want a shared arena, then as a worst case scenario we would still expect to be central to that scheme as we have council support and are the home-town club.

"However, we could well be in a higher division than Gillingham by the time the arena would be complete so cannot understand why they should be crucial to any major leisure development in the area."

Mr Scally is adamant that a ground-sharing idea would work. He added: "What we proposed would be a huge benefit to Kent, to themselves and to us."