YOU’RE either with me or you’re out was the message from Gillingham manager Mark Stimson to the players following Saturday’s FA Cup exit.

The Gills were dumped out of the FA Cup first round stage by lowly opponents for the second time in three years after losing 2-1 at Barnet and Stimson wasn’t going to take the embarrassment lying down.

“To be 1-0 up and to lose 2-1 is very disappointing,” said Stimson. “We should be in the hat for the next round. You don’t concede two goals to a very, very average team like Barnet.

“I’ve told the players that, if they’re like me and they’re honest and they want to improve, then they can stay around but if they don’t then come and see me.

“Within time we’ll see the real men and the real people who want to play for Gillingham Football Club and give everything they’ve got for every single game.

“We’ve got patience but how long can you stay with those certain players. You have to come to a decision to say, ‘sorry you might not be good enough’ and there’s a couple that haven’t helped themselves."

Stimson believes some of the players should be looking in the mirror and asking themselves if they are really good enough to earn the money they get paid.

“It might sound harsh but I’ve seen the team for three games," he said. "Swansea and Doncaster were good footballing teams, but Barnet were bang average.

“This was the FA Cup, we were two games away from possibly playing against Wayne Rooney and people like that, so how can you go out and perform like that and just let that chance go. That frustrates me and disappoints me.”

For the best indepth coverage of Barnet v Gillingham see Monday's Medway Messenger