Gills boss Neil Harris remains in regular contact with club owner Paul Scally.

Scally is taking an extended break from the day-to-day running at Priestfield, handing the reins to new co-chairman Paul Fisher earlier this month.

The pressures of keeping the club going during Covid, coupled with abuse from a section of fans, have taken their toll on the 67-year-old, who said he was “physically and mentally exhausted” in a statement announcing his decision to step away.

However, the long-serving chairman is keeping his finger on the pulse.

“I spoke to him a couple of hours before kick-off (on Tuesday night),” revealed Harris.

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“He’s still the owner of the football club, he’s still the co-chairman and he cares deeply.

“He’s desperate to know what goes on every minute of every day but he’s also trying to balance home life and down time and things like that. We speak regularly.”

Asked how Scally was feeling now, Harris added: “You’d have to ask him that.”