Manager Steve Evans admits he’s had to work hard to win over the Gills fans.

He may not have convinced everyone but Gillingham supporters were singing his name after the win over MK Dons on Saturday.

Evans, who celebrated the weekend win infront of a vocal Rainham End, admits he’s always had to do it the hard way when it comes to making an impression on a club’s fanbase.

He said: “I think that if you fight for something, people want you fighting for them don’t they? Supporters are no different.

“I have had to earn the right to get the respect of the fans everywhere I have been.

“I don’t get judged like most managers, they turn up and they get an ovation when they walk out and they have no wins in their career.

“I remember Tony Stewart, the Rotherham chairman, saying I would have to win some of the fans over (after taking charge of the south Yorkshire side) and I cheekily said they would be singing my name by October. I had to to do the same at Leeds United, I had to earn the right.

“It’s the same at every club I have managed, whether it be Mansfield or Posh, I have had to earn it.”

It’s just the beginning at Gills, Evans insists.

He added: “You don’t earn that right by December or Christmas Day, you earn the right over a period and hopefully the chairman gives me a period to try and put in place what we want to do here.”

More on the Gills;

• Evans: It could have been four or five!
• Gills v MK Dons: Top 10 pictures
• Quickfire double sends Gills on their way

Gillingham head into their Boxing Day clash at Ipswich sitting just five points off the play-off positions.

“The fans are desperate for good times here aren’t they?” said the Scot.

“They are so passionate, and if that win allowed them to sit down on Christmas Day and talk about what might be, then they could do that.

“It’s our job is to go back onto the training ground and do what we do, to work hard for them. Ultimately, that is who we represent. We have to keep producing really hard working performances.”

Saturday’s success over MK Dons extended their winning run at home, in all competitions, to six games.

“We have some good players and that can get forgotten,” Evans said.

“We like to say we play with high tempo and we are full of energy, but we also have some real good players and I am not surprised I’ve had three or four phone calls for different players.”

The Gills are well positioned heading into some tough fixtures and Evans hopes they will stay there.

He said: “We said let’s see if we could get into that top half of the table and get six or seven points away (from the play-offs) by the turn of the year. We are not there yet.

“Results on Boxing Day could take it away and they could on the 29th and New Year’s Day, but when we go into the January window, that’s where I wanted us to be, within six points of contention, that is still the objective.”