Manager Neil Harris admits Gillingham’s preparations for Stockport haven’t been ideal after getting a shovel out himself to clear a spot to train on.

Harris and his backroom team helped the ground staff to clear snow off part of the Priestfield pitch yesterday (Wednesday) after their training ground was frozen over.

Sunday’s League 2 fixture against Bradford City was postponed because an area of the Priestfield pitch was frozen. The section causing the problem remained solid this week but enough grass was uncovered to allow training to take place.

They played five-a-side indoors on Tuesday at the Corinthian Sports Club before a home session at Gillingham the following day.

Harris said: “On Wednesday we cleared an area, all the staff were out on the pitch in the morning to clear some of it to enable us to get out there.

“It’s not ideal preparation for us going into an away game at the weekend without a full pitch to work on but it will be the same for most teams up and down the country and we get on with it.”

The Gills called on volunteers from the crowd to help them cover the pitch after last Thursday’s FA Cup game against Dagenham but, towards the end of the game, the pitch was already freezing over, with the area near the Gordon Road Stand the issue.

Part of a pitch to train on was better than no pitch for the Gills boss but it’s unlikely their Beechings Cross training ground will have thawed in time for them to get some 11 versus 11 practice in.

“We have worked in smaller areas which is absolutely fine,” said Harris. “Ultimately, a lot of it is just about the players getting a sweat on and getting a touch of the ball and getting football movements. We have been able to do that.

“When we get to the game prep before going to Stockport, then it becomes more important that we are on a full-sized pitch and that is the debate at the moment, whether we can get on our pitch or not.”

It’s cold up in Stockport too, but they will no doubt be keen to play a Gills team who haven’t won in their last nine league outings, haven’t scored in six and sit bottom of the table.

There are sub-zero temperatures forecast in Stockport up until the weekend but Harris expects them to work hard to get the game played.

“We are preparing that the game is on,” said the Gills boss. “We’ll get the team ready.

"They will be desperate for the game to be on, they are on a good run of form, a relatively settled team, they have covers and heaters on the pitch and are doing everything they can.”