Gillingham manager Neil Harris didn’t mince his words last time the team played Newport County - but he’s all smiles now.

Back in November the Gills dropped to 23rd in the table off the back of a 2-0 loss in South Wales and it wouldn’t be long before they were rock bottom of League 2.

Manager demands strong finish

Harris was fed up, the fans were fearing non-league football and the players had some stinging criticism in their ears off the back of that loss.

Reacting to defeat that day, Harris said: “I am fed up with the situation, fed up of standing on the sideline and us making the same mistakes.

“I do enjoy my job. Am I prepared to walk away today? No. But I am fed up of watching the same old crap.”

Harris is now only interested in looking forward and who can blame him? Fast forward 162 days since that defeat and the mood couldn’t be any different as they prepare to play Newport again.

Gillingham have turned it around in stunning fashion to put those dark days firmly behind them.

“I don’t need to look at the game back,” Harris said. “I know where we came unstuck but funnily enough we did have some really good chances on the day as well.

“We are a completely different team, a completely different set-up at the moment, so I try not to revisit that.

“There is a completely different feel now. Other managers and coaches talk to us after games, about being a completely different team to what they remember. It’s chalk and cheese.

“They were cutting words (said post-Newport). It shows where I was at at the time, and the fans. It was a difficult period. For me it was built over a few months but for the fanbase probably built over a bit longer. We have come a long way.

“We have hopefully come out of the dark side into brighter horizons, we have done brilliant and there has been a lot of enjoyment factor in it, not just on the pitch, but off it.

“The matchday experience, the level of communication now, coverage in the media is positive, the social media side of it, there is a real buzz and feel about the place.

“People come and look forward to it, they come with expectation to see their team perform or win, which is a nice place to be. They come here with hope and expectation of winning games of football again rather than dread and fear of losing.

“It’s testimony to the fans for sticking with their club and sticking with me and the group.”

It’s a final home game of the season for the Gills at Priestfield - a home ground they have turned into a fortress, picking up 28 points in 2023 from a possible 33.

Harris said: “Every day there is a real joy and a buzz about the place. Fans come here buoyant, excited, motivated and proud, then they see players playing like that, exactly the same, they epitomise each other at the moment, hopefully they see that from me on the sideline as well, we are really enjoying it, we want to continue that up until 5pm on Saturday afternoon.”