Gillingham FC: Brad Galinson decision involving Gareth Ainsworth raised eyebrows - it looks the right call now | OneFootball

Eyebrows were raised when Brad Galinson brought in Gareth Ainsworth with nine games to go, but that decision has proved to be a smart one.

It’s fair to say that Gillingham owner Brad Galinson has hired and fired more Gills managers than he would have expected since his arrival at the Kent club. But now, it looks like the move he made last season is proving the doubters wrong.

With Gillingham’s season petering out after fears of a relegation battle were calmed, Galinson and managing director Joe Comper made the decision to part ways with veteran boss John Coleman, who had been brought in to steady the ship after the sacking of Mark Bonner in January.

In Coleman’s place came Gareth Ainsworth, who arrived at Priestfield at the end of March, with just nine games of the League Two season remaining.

Some fans questioned the timing of Gareth Ainsworth’s appointment at Priestfield

The timing of the decision to bring in Ainsworth raised eyebrows among the Gillingham fanbase, who questioned the decision. But, as things have panned out, it’s clear that the decision was a huge benefit for the Kent club.

For starters, Ainsworth has had plenty of time to run the rule over his playing squad. With around a dozen first-teamers set to be out of contract in the summer, decisions need to be made on who to offer contracts to, and who to let go.

And this week, the club has moved swiftly to secure the services of veteran goalkeeper and Player of the Year Glenn Morris, and the Players’ Player of the Year, and Goal of the Season winner Robbie McKenzie on one- and two-year contracts, respectively.

Squad-based decisions are much harder to make for a new manager stepping in without the time to assess his squad, but thanks to Galinson’s late-season decision to pull the trigger early, the new Gills boss has had that time.

Ainsworth is bedded in, and ready to make the necessary summer changes at Priestfield

It means the Gills head into the summer with a strategy in place.

The existing playing squad is set to be trimmed, and key players are already being offered deals to stay and play a part in that squad moving forward. Others are set to be let go in the coming weeks.

And Ainsworth has spoken about his regular meetings with the club’s head of recruitment, Andy Hessenthaler, to discuss transfer targets, and he’s also made clear that he wants to be in control of the players that are brought into the club, rather than have players identified and chosen for him.

He finished the 2024-25 season with someone else’s squad, but make no mistake, by the time Gillingham takes to the field for the opening game of the 2025-26 campaign, it will be Ainsworth’s team, with the players he wants, after a pre-season he has had time to plan and prepare for.

It all augurs well for a fresh new start at ME7 next season. And, with optimism already high after Ainsworth transformed the team’s performances this past season, hopes will be even higher if he can secure the sort of summer signings the club needs to mount an assault on the division’s top seven.