Gillingham are on a mission to find their lost fans.

Chairman Paul Scally has launched ‘Project FOF’ in a bid to boost attendances.

League games at Priestfield last season were watched by an average home support of less than 5,000. The total average was 5,370, down from a figure of 6,316 for the 2015/16 season.

While re-engaging fans of the past, Mr Scally is also keen on finding new ones. He has dubbed his initiative Project FOF, meaning ‘find our fans’ or ‘fans of the future’.

Mr Scally said: “There are high expectations here and when things aren’t going so well, then fans stay away.

“We want to build a bigger fanbase and it’s another of the reasons we have got Medway Council on the shirt.

“We want to go into the educational sectors, we have to look at fans of the future and we have to find those fans who used to come and try and get them back.

“Project FOF is our theme for next season, we will be working hard on both of those projects.”

Gillingham’s home form won’t have helped persuade either old or new supporters with just five wins at Priestfield all season – their lowest figure ever.

They will, however, have been encouraged by their final game, a 5-2 win over Plymouth.

“It was a tough season and a challenging season,” said Mr Scally.

“The fans showed they are behind the team (in the Plymouth game). They were top class.

“There was an air of positivity around the ground that had been lacking in one or two games. It was nice to have the positive people.

“Those that seem to moan and complain about everything must have stayed away.

“What we need to do is build on that support, get the ones that haven’t been coming to come back and join us and carry on with the support.”

Mr Scally hopes that the World Cup will also help.

He said: “A World Cup always inspires football people to take up the mantle and come back to support their teams.

“I am hoping that some of those stay-away fans, who haven’t been coming regularly for whatever reason, think ‘we’ll come back and watch a bit more football next season’ and get behind the team again.”