Jonny Williams in: The ideal Gillingham starting XI v Carlisle United on August 10 | OneFootball

Who should start for Gillingham if the season got underway this weekend? Based on what we know so far, we select our ideal first-choice starting XI fo

Highlights

Gillingham's summer rebuild has already seen the squad transformed from the outfit that failed to challenge the promotion contenders in League Two last season.

The Gills head into the 2024/25 season with a new manager at the helm and a host of new signings have already been made by the club, who have wasted no time in securing key transfer targets early in the summer.

"Phase 2" of the club's summer recruitment is still to play out, with the potential for a few departures, plus the arrival of some loan signings set to give Bonner's Gillingham squad a fresh new look ahead of the new season.

Ahead of the club's pre-season programme, we take a look at the squad currently at Bonner's disposal and select an ideal first-choice starting XI for the team's opening-day game with Carlisle United at Priestfield on August 10.

Bonner will have plenty of options to consider in terms of his formation. He has the defensive personnel to play three at the back with wing-backs but given his stated preference to play with wingers, a team built from a back four appears to make much more sense.

There are other permutations available to Bonner further up the pitch, too, which we'll discuss as we run through the team, but to clarify our chosen setup, we'll base this lineup on a 4-2-3-1 formation.

Goalkeeper: Jake Turner

The starting goalkeeper job is a straight choice between Jake Turner and seasoned veteran Glenn Morris, and the younger man is likely to get the nod.

Morris is undoubtedly a safe pair of hands – always a handy attribute for the man between the sticks – but Turner has grown into a legitimate starter over the last season and a half, and offers a longer-term upside at the position.

One area Turner still needs to improve is his distribution – both in terms of his accuracy and his speed of release – but overall, he probably just holds the edge over 40-year-old Morris, who will see the change in manager as a chance to reaffirm his credentials as the club's number one.

It may mean that we see a genuine goalkeeping competition play out during the pre-season games, as Bonner gets a closer look at both keepers. And, with two viable options available to him, it's a nice dilemma for the new Gills boss to have.

Right-back: Remeao Hutton

Remeao Hutton was signed last season with his crossing ability and assist record raised up as the key reasons for his arrival. But, despite bringing more quality delivery from wide areas, the club didn't see a huge dividend from its investment last season.

Under Bonner's more positive, front-foot philosophy, Hutton could really shine and, to trot out an old footballing cliche, he could be like a new signing for the club this season.

The new boss will be keen to develop a strong on-pitch rapport between Hutton and newly-signed right winger Aaron Rowe, with Hutton's crossing ability looking like a great complement to Rowe's pace and trickery on Gillingham's right flank.

Watching the pair working together during pre-season will be one of the more interesting aspects of the upcoming pre-season games. If they can establish a good working partnership, that pair could deliver plenty of service from that side of the pitch.

Centre-back: Max Ehmer (c)

So often the man who receives the ire of Gillingham fans when things aren't going well, Max Ehmer has enjoyed a strong couple of seasons at the heart of the Gills' back line.

If Bonner opts to play with a back four, Ehmer is likely to be pushed hard for a starting spot by Shad Ogie, but Ehmer's experience and consistency over the last year should see him get the nod to lead the defence for another season.

His performances last year may not have stolen the headlines too often but his consistency and leadership at the back were a major factor in Gillingham's one big success story last season – their defence.

Ehmer is a natural pick as captain for the coming campaign and, unless Bonner opts to freshen things up with a new skipper, it would be no surprise to see Max handed the armband full-time this season after deputising for Shaun Williams for much of the 2023/24 campaign.

Centre-back: Conor Masterson

Conor Masterson is another Gills player who enjoyed a strong season last year and Gillingham's 2023/24 Player of the Year is the natural partner for Ehmer in a back four.

Masterson's ability to bring the ball out of defence and help create overloads in midfield will likely be something Bonner looks to utilise regularly to help start off attacks. He also has a happy knack for getting on the end of crosses when he's in the opposition box, too.

But the primary job of any defender is to defend, and in that regard Masterson has performed strongly at Priestfield. He's commanding in the air, reads the game well, and distributes the ball smartly when he wins it back. He's also a potential candidate for the captaincy.

In a season that could see a fair amount of change, the heart of Gillingham's defence is likely to remain the same, with Masterson and Ehmer holding things down in the centre of the team's defence.

Left-back: Max Clark

With transfer-listed Scott Malone departing the Gills for Crawley earlier this summer, Max Clark stands almost unopposed as the team's first-choice left-back.

The 28-year-old eventually made the left-back spot his own as the season progressed last year, and, much like we mentioned above with Remeao Hutton and Aaron Rowe, Clark will be expected to work in tandem with winger Jack Nolan on the Gills' left flank.

Clark and Nolan should provide similar balance to the left wing that Hutton and Rowe should offer on the right, and that, along with some key selections elsewhere on the pitch, should help make the Gills much more evenly balanced from touchline to touchline. More of which later...

Central midfield: Ethan Coleman

In a team with a host of attacking options, you always need an anchor to ensure the door isn't left open while the other players bomb forward. The man who could be tasked with that role is Ethan Coleman.

The 24-year-old earned the Players' Player of the Year award last season, with his contribution in the holding role in the middle of the park effectively "doing the dirty work" for the team, breaking up play and giving the ball simply and effectively, leaving the more creative side of the game to his colleagues.

There's a feeling that there is still more to come from Coleman as a first-team starter at Priestfield, but his qualities in the destructive side of the game could be hugely valuable for Bonner as he shapes his team for the season ahead.

In a central midfield pairing that needs to deliver industry and energy, the role of Armani Little could be crucial. The former AFC Wimbledon man can do a bit of everything in the midfield engine room, and will likely be asked to play a high-energy, box-to-box role in the heart of the Gillingham midfield.

While Coleman sits and stays put, Little will be the man looking to push on and drive the transition from defence to attack. He'll have plenty of attacking talent to feed, but he'll also be an offensive weapon himself, albeit one with more defensive responsibility than those ahead of him.

The team has lacked a genuine box-to-box midfielder for years, and hopes are high that Little could be the man to fill that role.

Right-wing: Aaron Rowe

With the seven aforementioned players establishing a solid base from which the team can attack, the four players we look at now will be given the job of creating and scoring the goals that Gillingham hope will fire them into League One.

On the right flank, Rowe's pace, skill, and ability to get defenders running back towards their own goal should help stretch opposition defences and give our other midfielders more room to play, while his wing play on the right will ensure Gillingham offer a genuine threat down both flanks.

Left-wing: Jack Nolan

That dual wide threat will be completed by the presence of another of Gillingham’s summer signings. Jack Nolan hit 17 goals for Accrington Stanley last term, and he’ll be expected to weigh in with goals and assists in Mark Bonner’s Gills side this season.

Nolan was one of the most prolific non-strikers in League Two last season, and his presence wide on the left will give the Gills a legitimate goal threat, as well as quality delivery from that side of the field.

Attacking midfield: Jonny Williams

We’ve spoken about how Jonny Williams could be a revitalised player under Bonner and the Welsh playmaker gets a key role in the number 10 spot in our starting lineup.

Williams’ movement, creativity and energy will bring plenty of benefit to a side that carries threats from all over the pitch. And, in stark contrast to last season, when the team looked slow, predictable and toothless, he’ll be able to be his best self in a side that will play much more to his strengths under the new Gills boss.

It was a toss up between going with Williams “in the hole” or Josh Andrews in a two-man forward line, and we’ve gone for Williams’ energy over Andrews’ physicality. Both will be strong options for Bonner next season, but it’s Williams who gets the nod for our starting XI.

Striker: Elliott Nevitt

The lone decision left is to choose which striker should lead the line for Gillingham on opening day and we’ve gone with new man Elliott Nevitt.

Nevitt will look to hit the ground running after a great season for Crewe last term. And with service likely to come from both flanks via Nolan and Rowe, plus through the middle from Williams and Little, Nevitt should have no shortage of ammo to continue his scoring form this term.

As the lone central striker in this formation, he’ll be asked to do a lot of work, but his energy and commitment should be an ideal fit for this system, where he could really thrive as the Gills' main attacking weapon next season.