Peter Taylor has vowed to turn Gillingham’s form around.

But, with just one win in 12, the Gills manager knows time is not on his side.

“I know we are in a hole,” he said. “I fully appreciate that and respect everybody’s feelings towards me and the team but I am desperate for more time.

“I still believe I will turn it around and I still believe the players here are good enough. I still feel when we get everyone fit and raring to go we will get enough results.

“I do totally accept the frustration around the place and I would love the time to get it right and I do honestly feel that eventually I will get it right. I will build a very good young team here. That has always been my intention.

“After the recent run it has put everyone under too much pressure. We are all gutted for that but we can’t feel sorry for ourselves, we have to get on with it.”

Gillingham’s last win in the league came in the middle of September, against Peterborough.

Since then Taylor’s side have picked up just three points from a possible 24. They now sit joint-bottom of League 1.

Managers have been sacked for much less and Taylor understands that.

He said: “If the chairman was to pick the phone up to me and say, ‘that’s it, you’ve had enough time’ I would totally respect that.

“One win in 12 is not good enough. I think there are reasons for it but at the end of the day it’s a results business and that’s not good enough.

“I lost my job at Crystal Palace when we had one defeat in five matches. That to me was unlucky and that’s why I would accept the situation if it happened. I really do hope it doesn’t happen.”

This season the Gills have won three of their opening 16 league fixtures.

“We have shown on too few occasions that we are a decent team at this level," Taylor said.

"We haven’t done that enough and we are under pressure. I am realistic enough to know that if things don’t change, a phone call could come, I really do hope it doesn’t."

Asked whether he thinks the fans will give him the time, he said: “I don’t know, probably not. They might be too frustrated now, I don’t know.

“It may be up to the team to show that they want to run around on the pitch to get a good result. We might need a performance like that on Saturday.

"I don’t go on the websites but I am sure there aren’t too many on there saying fantastic things about me, I understand that, but that’s a part of football, that you just have to get on with.”

The aim this season was, at the minimum, to better a 17th-placed finish during the last campaign.

Gillingham currently sit 22nd with 14 points, averaging less than a point a game. That’s relegation form but Taylor is confident he has time left this season to avoid that situation happening.

“Absolutely, yes, without a doubt I think I can,” was his response when asked if he would get it right in time.

“At the moment we are playing with no confidence and we are not looking half the team that we are. If everyone is right I think the squad is decent. We have some athletes, we have some different types, but we have got people that are not as confident as they should be.

“I think you seeing from a lot of players 70% at the moment, we need them to be 100%. If we were to get a result from somewhere then all of a sudden we might see that. If we score first on Saturday that’s what you might see, that’s how the game changes.

“The fans have tried to help the players as much as they can. Some of those players need that. This is a new experience for some of them.”

Matches don’t get any easier for Taylor. Visiting Priestfield for a first round FA Cup match on Saturday are League 1 leaders Bristol City.

They have lost only once this season, when playing a weakened team in the League Cup.

Taylor said: “Anyone connected with Gillingham will want a Gillingham result won’t they? That’s how I see it.

“The players have got to earn the support. If I was a supporter I would want to turn up on Saturday, look at the team and think, ‘blimey, they are having a go’. It doesn’t matter if they miss-time a tackle or a cross goes over the bar, I can live with that, but I want to see my time have a go.“