An upturn in season ticket sales has delighted Gillingham manager Neil Harris.

Despite dropping into League 2 there is plenty of optimism around the club, driven by Harris, who is fully committed to a longer-term project.

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Harris is pleased the supporters have backed him with the decision to renew or purchase new tickets. The club have confirmed levels are above last year. Exact numbers aren’t being announced but are believed to be above the 2,000 mark, with the early-bird discounts ending last week.

Figures are still a lot less than the glory days of the Championship years and work has to be done to attract the missing fans back but Harris is encouraged.

He said: “You can’t ask for any more can you? You get relegated and sell more season tickets!

“First and foremost, I want to thank people who have bought their season tickets and also urge people who are possibly waiting to see the people we sign before buying. Don’t worry, get your ticket.

“There will be people out there thinking, ‘what are we doing, is the chairman putting his hand in his pocket? Who is Neil going to get?’. We will sign players and we will be competitive next year."

So far, Harris has signed three new players to add to those that remained from last season's squad, with space for as many as 10 more to arrive in the transfer window.

Harris said: “People are buying tickets because people are buying into the long-term plan. I am not saying we will win the league next year but we will be competitive.

“We want to try and build the football club back up from what I feel was a very low point and to progress. To be better we need the fans, it is their football club, the more I get through the gate the better we will probably be as a team. I appreciate them and I need them, we need them.

"To sell more than we did as a League 1 team is phenomenal and credit to the fans.”

Season tickets are now at standard prices. Adult tickets in the Rainham End are priced at £375 while they start at £365 in the Gordon Road Stand and £425 in the Medway Stand. Under-14s can watch for free with a full paying adult.