Gillingham are set for a defining few days – on and off the field.

The Gills head to Rochdale this weekend before returning to face Shrewsbury at Priestfield on Wednesday.

It’s a big chance for the Gills to turn a play-off dream into something more plausible and a few new signings would be a big help.

Gills boss Steve Evans, whose side are eight unbeaten in League 1, said: “I know the importance of getting a good points return in the next two games. The importance is we will be in the top 10 when we break (they have no game next Saturday).

“That would be outstanding for the players and it would give our supporters a real opportunity to back us for February, March and April.

“If we win at Rochdale then the Shrewsbury game becomes massive, because six points would put us on the verge of the play-offs.

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“It would be brilliant for the supporters and one of them said to me ‘thanks for giving us the chance for us to even think that we could be involved in it’.

“What we are doing with the resources is remarkable. The players have been brilliant and they are giving their all, which is all that we ask. They are giving everything in every game.”

Evans is trying to add a little bit extra and believes that is key for their play-off push.

“We are sitting on the edge of a cliff, aren’t we?” he said. “We can either hang on or we can jump over and fly and if we want to jump over and fly we will need to sign a couple of players.

“We have a real chance, we are six points off it, we have a couple of good games to come and we are not frightened of any fixtures.

“When we look at the Christmas period and we see who we played, Portsmouth and Ipswich and we had Peterborough and then Oxford, we have had it as tough as anyone, but as we know in this league bottom beats top.

“With the current group, can we get there without help? We could be in the top 10 but (reaching) the play-off group that is another step, I think.

“It doesn’t mean that the boys (any new signings) coming in will just be an automatic choice.

“But when they come in they should also raise people’s performances and a lot of our boys are playing at the top end of their performance levels.

“A lot of them have been outstanding, they just need a little help in the key areas.”

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