Gillingham manager Steve Evans admits he’s surprised at the sides fighting relegation in League 1 this season.

Northampton are one of those teams, sitting four points from safety, and they visit Priestfield on Saturday. Swindon Town sit below them and Bristol Rovers - who lured away a couple of Gills players with great fanfare last summer - are all-but relegated.

Speaking about their weekend visitors, Evans said: “They should never be in that position, I know the chairman very well, Kelvin Thomas, the resources are top half and they have been let down really but the players there gave us a drubbing at Northampton earlier in the season (Gills lost 3-1).

“When I look at Bristol Rovers, bottom of the table, I really shake my head. I think they have good enough players, we have played against them and watched them many times, I don’t know what has gone wrong there.

“I know what the ambitions are at Swindon because the chairman tried to take me as manager two or three times, they have the fan base, 8-10,000 people right behind them.

“I am surprised these clubs are fighting to stay in League 1, normally you would associate them fighting for top six.”

Defeat for Northampton on Saturday would leave them in big trouble. They have Blackpool and Sunderland in their remaining two games, both teams fighting for places at the top end of League 1.

Bristol Rovers, who signed Max Ehmer and Brandon Hanlan from the Gills, look certain to be playing League 2 football next season. Current manager Joey Barton has been less than impressed with the squad he inherited. He’s their third permanent manager this season.

He said: “You get in and you peel the layers of the onion and you realise 'God, what have we got ourselves into?'

"There's no way I'd have allowed that group to be built, it just wouldn't have happened.”