Gillingham are to freeze season ticket prices for the 2022/23 campaign when the club will be playing League 2 football.

Club chairman Paul Scally told of the club’s plans in a letter written to their supporters on Monday while also saying that the work to find investors goes on.

The club have just been relegated to the bottom tier of the Football League and have needed to rely on handouts and cost-cutting to keep them afloat during the Covid pandemic.

The chairman, who admitted prices would have risen had they not been relegated, wrote: “I will continue behind the scenes in seeking alternative investment to assist us in our goals, and rest assured no stone will be unturned in our quest for a better tomorrow.”

A search for investment has been a long one and is crucial in turning the club’s fortunes around.

In the meantime, manager Neil Harris is busy reshaping the squad in an effort to make an immediate challenge next season in League 2.

On Monday it was announced that nine players were being released while some of the seven players who are on contract are not wanted by the manager.

Reflecting on their relegation, Mr Scally commented: “The past ten days have been painful to all of us that care about the football club.

“Having made such a great effort to get ourselves into a position of maintaining League 1 status, we sadly fell short on the final day of the season despite [a 2-0 defeat to Rotherham sent them down] tremendous support from everyone on the day, and indeed since Neil took over.

“I know for many fans it will be difficult to find positivity in such a difficult period, however, one thing is for sure, this football club will continue, it will prosper and it will go from strength to strength under a very good manager, coaching team, and staff behind the scenes.

“I have no doubt we will all be dissecting how we ended up in the position we found ourselves in, but in my view we now have to move forward, we need to look ahead and as we have said many times in our history – `never look back.`

“What is absolutely key to the future of this football club is that we maintain the support of our fan base, which has always been solid, and as such we are publishing our season ticket prices this week.

“Had we maintained our League 1 status, and due to rising costs that we are all suffering from, there would have been a price increase without doubt, but mindful of the fact we will now be playing League 2 football, we have taken the decision to freeze our last year pricing and indeed to reward those current season ticket holders for their support and loyalty, and those who had donated their 2020/21 season ticket money back to the club, who maybe felt unable to attend the stadium last year.”

Mr Scally said the loyalty of the fans was appreciated.

He added: “Our work begins now in rebuilding a team to focus on next season with new experiences, new venues and new challenges.

“We know from the support in the latter part of the season that you make such a difference when Priestfield is rocking and we want to get back to that culture. That’s why we watch football and come to the stadium throughout the season.”

Details of the season ticket pricing structure have not been announced. Standard adult prices for new 2021/22 season ticket purchases in the Rainham End were £375. These were slightly cheaper in blocks A and G of the Gordon Road Stand. Medway Stand tickets were from £425. Concession discounts were available in all areas with £50 season tickets for under-12s.

Matchday prices for non season ticket holders was between £22 and £29 for adults, dependent on location and category of the game, with discounts for advance purchases.