Gillingham chairman Paul Scally says their loyal fans have saved the club from going under.

Season tickets sales pre-Covid19 lockdown proved vital for the club and he has written an open letter to fans, explaining the club’s situation and thanking many for their help.

In it he writes: “We have been fortunate in that we went on sale before lockdown with season ticket sales for the season ahead.

"I’d like to thank all those that bought their tickets during that period for remaining patient and understanding the huge significance and benefit those funds have been to the business. Your funds have been the difference between surviving or not surviving.

“It is no exaggeration when I say that had we not had the funds those sales achieved from our loyal supporters, we may well not be playing our first competitive game, albeit behind closed doors, this coming Saturday, nor would I have had the funds to allow (manager) Steve Evans to go out and sign the players we have brought to the club to add to the seven contracted players we had at the end of July.”

Mr Scally said he had experienced some “lonely and dark days” during the lockdown period but that he was humbled by the number of positive comments he had received.

Gillingham’s season was cut-short, resulting in fans missing out on five games which had been paid for through season ticket purchases. Addressing that issue, Mr Scally said: “The majority have not asked in regards to cash refunds, realising the position the club is in and understanding the effect this scenario would have to the survival of the business.

“Infact most have ‘donated’ the benefit to the club, which is again admirable and I thank you for your generosity.”

He said they are still to decide on a solution to to make up for those missed matches.

Mr Scally said: “I just need to see how the next month or so develops, more importantly whether either myself and/or the EFL are successful in external funding efforts, and then I can offer more ideas and solutions.”

The club have been modelling potential scenarios for when fans are allowed back into Priestfield. Fans could potentially be back for the home game against Oxford United on October 10 and season ticket holders would be given priority to attend while Priestfield operates at a reduced capacity.

Mr Scally said: “We are awaiting clarification as to how many fans we can welcome back to Priestfield, however we are confident we will be able to sell, and welcome, more season ticket holders than currently expected, therefore we will be opening up applications very shortly.”

Season ticket holders will be entitled to a free streaming service for live home games. For away games and non ST holders fans will be charged £10 per match, starting with this Saturday’s Carabao Cup game with Southend United.

Mr Scally has also confirmed that last season’s Macron kit will remain for the 2020/21 season.

He also says that while the club’s survival was helped by the government’s job retention scheme, they are now negotiating with HMRC over requested payments.

The chairman said: “We are by no means out of the woods and I continue to work non-stop, seven days a week to find other solutions of funding, both independently and in association with the EFL, who themselves have worked tirelessly in an attempt to keep their club’s afloat.

“HMRC, whilst assisting and offering a deferment of taxes between April and August, now want their money back, (despite our income position not changing since end March), and are seemingly taking a hard -line position with football, and whilst we are trying to negotiate a repayment plan to ease cashflow, we have not, as yet, been successful.”

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