Ady Pennock is the bookies’ early favourite to take over at Gillingham.

Pennock was a popular player for the Gills between 1996 and 2003.

He has gone from even money to 1/3 in the few hours since Justin Edinburgh was sacked.

He has been linked to the Gills previously, before Edinburgh was appointed.

Pennock's Football League playing career was ended by a knee injury but he has since gained an impressive track record in management.

He guided Welling United to their best finish in years before linking up with his former Gills boss Tony Pulis on the management staff at Stoke City, working his way up to first-team coach.

In November 2013 he joined ambitious non-league side Forest Green Rovers and the following season he led them to their highest ever finish of 5th in the Conference Premier.

He began last season with seven straight wins and maintained a position towards the top of the league but was surprisingly sacked, sitting second in the table, just a week before the play-offs after a poor run of form.

Pennock rejoined Welling in November, as consultant to manager Jamie Day.

Pennock and Scally did have a disagreement over a testimonial back in 2006 but that appears to have since been resolved, with the Gills naming one of their hospitality suites after the crowd-pleaser.

Both SkyBET and Bet Victor have Pennock as their odds-on favourite to succeed Edinburgh, although the likes of Dennis Wise, Kenny Jackett and Steve Cotterill are also being backed.

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More on Edinburgh’s sacking can be found here, with chairman Paul Scally’s thoughts as he considers a new appointment.