Gillingham’s former captain Max Ehmer has been finding life tough with a new manager at Bristol Rovers.

Ironically new boss Joey Barton - Rovers’ third manager this season - is a man Ehmer looked up to as a kid when they played together at QPR.

But Barton’s public criticism of Ehmer’s footballing ability and captain credentials at Rovers has been followed by a decision to leave him out completely on Tuesday night.

Ehmer quit Priestfield in the summer for a better offer at Bristol Rovers. Few would blame a family man for looking out for their best interests - there was no offer on the table from the Gills at the time - but it’s a move that hasn’t gone to plan.

The man who signed him for Rovers, Ben Garner, and made him captain is long gone. Second boss in the hot seat, Paul Tisdale, kept the status quo but Barton - tasked with keeping Rovers up - hasn’t got time for sentiment.

Ehmer has lost the captaincy at Rovers, has twice been hauled off at half-time in his last two appearances and now Barton has decided he doesn’t warrant a place in the matchday squad either.

It’s quite a comedown for the German centre half, a player admired greatly by current boss Steve Evans and chairman Paul Scally, having played over 200 league games for the club.

Ehmer had done a great job in helping guide teenager Jack Tucker through his first full season in the professional game, the pair forming a solid enough partnership. The Gills have moved on, however, and in Robbie Cundy have found a no-nonsense defender to partner Tucker.

Barton’s words this week were harsh, telling the Bristol Post that his former team-mate hadn’t improved on some aspects of his game since they played together at QPR.

Barton said: “He was training with us when he was 20 and the observations of him then haven’t changed much to the observations of the player I’ve found now.

"That is worrying in that period of time, seven, eight or nine years, if you’re still making the same mistakes.”

Commenting on his decision to replace Ehmer as captain, Barton said: "How can that be the leader, the person you set out as the head of your organisation, as the head of your troops?

"He’s got a lot of work to do, the boy. We’ve got to build him back up and it’s not straightforward. I can only help people who want to help themselves.

"We’ve got no time for passengers, and as cruel as that may seem, unfortunately this is not a charity. This is an elite performing environment that is not elite performing at this moment in time and it’s my job to get it there, because I’m a custodian of the building.”

And he added: "I’m here to do the fans proud, to do the owner proud, to do the city proud, and unfortunately there’s going to be collateral damage along the way.”

Rovers, who also signed former Gills striker Brandon Hanlan in the summer, dropped into the bottom four on Tuesday night after losing 1-0 to relegation rivals Swindon Town.

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