Gillingham have given non-league Sheppey a helping hand in their efforts to pull of what would be one of the greatest FA Cup shocks of all time.

Isthmian South East Sheppey are the lowest ranked team left in the competition, four leagues below First Round opponents Walsall, who play in League 2. They meet at Holm Park on Friday night.

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Earlier this month the Gills played at Walsall and it was going well for Kent’s only Football League side before their interim manager, Keith Millen, was sent off and the team crumbled, losing 4-1.

Gillingham have handed over some of their information on the Saddlers to aid them in their quest, although Ites boss Ernie Batten won’t be overloading his players.

“I think you can overcook it,” he said. “Walsall are a Football League club and they will be very strong, a good outfit, and we have done our work on them.

“Gillingham have been very kind to send us some data on them and some footage.

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“We will keep it simple. With part-time football you can’t overload on that sort of thing, you haven’t got four or five hours every day like the professionals have where you do the training and then do a bit in the classroom afterwards, looking at footage and that type of work.

“Our players have been at work all day, you want to do the training, a bit of analysis, but you mustn’t overload them because that becomes fatiguing. How much are they going to retain if they have been at work all day and they are getting home at 11 o’clock at night, and then at work the next morning?

“We have to be realistic about that and try to keep the players as fresh as they can.”

Walsall’s victory over the Gills was their only league win in October and they head to Sheppey in 15th place, having lost 2-1 at Mansfield last weekend.

Sheppey lost 3-2 at bottom side Merstham on Saturday, despite a second-half brace by Alex Willis. They host Beckenham on Tuesday night.