He was either being ultra politically correct in these days of equality or giving a hint that the new manager of Gillingham could be ... female.

Or maybe the chairman was having a bit of fun with the Priestfield faithful in his programme notes ahead of the match against Oldham at the weekend.

Talking about his efforts to find a replacement for Peter Taylor, who was sacked last month, Paul Scally wrote: “I am comforted that when the new person arrives at Priestfield he/she will take over a squad that is in good shape.”

So could Tracey Crouch MP be among the runners for the role, which apparently has attracted up to 70 applications?

Sadly not. The Chatham and Aylesford MP, also a qualified football coach, ruled herself out when the Medway Messenger spoke to her on the sidelines of a cup match between her team, Meridian Girls Under 18s, and Anchorians Angels.

“I’m quite happy with my current day job,” laughed Miss Crouch, as her team battled to go one up in a so far goal-less first half.

But she added: “It would be fantastic to have the Football League’s first female manager here.”

Miss Crouch, breaking briefly to yell “Shoot Becky! Shoot!”, said she believes the lack of female managers is simply down to the fact women have not been offered enough opportunities in football.

So could Paul Scally be about to remedy that situation?

If so, the finger of speculation doesn’t have many targets to point at.

Former England women’s manager Hope Powell left her position in 2013, and perhaps could be a long shot, while another wildly speculative possibility is Helena Costa – who became the first woman to manage a men’s professional football team when she took charge of second division French club Clermont Foot 63.

She soon quit, citing a “lack of respect and amateurism” at the club, but perhaps she’d find a more professional set up here in Gillingham.

The club is embracing the rise in the women’s game, and Gillingham Ladies are now fully under its umbrella, playing matches at Priestfield for the first time this season.

Click here to read about Gillingham's search for a new manager, as Scally looks overseas.