A win at Derby would have secured our safety, but it was a little too much to expect us to beat a top side in their own back yard and so it proved. Our 2-0 defeat, plus wins for some of our rivals at the bottom, means the entire season – and the future of the club – hangs on the results of the next two matches. Pressure? What pressure!
That’s the bad news. The good news is we can end all this stress by 5pm this Saturday evening. Crewe Alexandra travel to Portman Road to face a promotion-chasing Ipswich Town, while Brighton make the trip to Millmoor to face the freshly relegated, but pressure-free Rotherham United. While you might expect Brighton to get a result at Millmoor (after all, most other sides have this season), Crewe’s task is an altogether tougher proposition. Ipswich are desperate for a win to try and peg back Wigan and steal the second automatic promotion place. Finishing in third would be nothing short of a disaster for Joe Royle’s men after taking up near permanent residency in the top two for most of the season, so expect them to put in a big performance in front of a baying Portman Road crowd.
So, with the two teams behind us set for tough games (for two completely different reasons), a defeat for either would open the door to safety for the Gills. All they’ll need to do (Ha! All they’ll need to do…!) is beat fellow strugglers Cardiff City at Priestfield. It’s Gillingham’s biggest game of the season without doubt – and it promises to be a really tough encounter against a side who know a draw will secure their own status in the Championship.
After a great turnout for the Crewe game a fortnight ago, the final home game of the season looks set to be a sell-out – so if you haven’t got your tickets yet, you best get a move on! The maths are simple, if Gillingham win and either Crewe or Brighton lose, Gillingham are safe for another season. Regardless of the Gills result, if Crewe and Brighton both win or draw, it’ll go down to the last day of the season – and goal difference could come into the equation.
So, with Gillingham facing another struggling side at home, the onus will be on us to keep it tight at the back and attack. An early goal would give the crowd a real boost and demoralise the Bluebirds, who could well bring a considerable following to Priestfield this weekend.
In such a match, we need every single player to stand up and be counted. We cannot afford to carry any passengers, so for my money there should only be one change for Saturday’s match. Mamady Sidibe may not carry the goal threat we so desperately need, but he does create chances for others and causes havoc in opposition defences. Equally as importantly, he gives us 100% every game he plays for the Gills. Compare that to the moody, ineffective Darren Byfield, who started the season on fire, only to spend the rest of it falling over and getting caught offside. His performance at Derby was an improvement, but not good enough to dislodge Sidibe from the side. We need to batter Cardiff this weekend – and Byfield couldn’t batter a piece of cod on his current form.
While I think Stan will have the team in just the right frame of mind for this game, I’m under no illusions. Cardiff will be tough to beat, but beat them we must – and each and every player will go out there with Stan’s words ringing in their ears. One word for anyone who’s going on Saturday, keep right behind the team for the full 90 minutes. If we go a goal down, roar the team back into the game. Since Stan arrived we’ve developed a superb team spirit and we need the same belief and commitment from the stands to help the team out on the pitch. Get behind them and they’ll do the business.
If they do manage to beat the Bluebirds, it’s then down to the final scores at Millmoor and Portman Road to decide our fate. Will we be celebrating, or will be dreading a trip to the City Ground? All will be revealed in the next week…