MARTIN JAMES ALLEN

[mark8364]

Gary, you agree that I'm dull minded and have limited knowledge!! Thought you were a mate!!

[Chelt Head]

so I would be happy with a point.

Ditto.

[Garawa]

Ha ha, should have specified which bit shouldn't I.

I agree that Cheltenham are a much stronger side over the last 12 months!

[Robpthegills]

I think its a good post from the Cheltenham fan. He has spoken from the heart and its not a wild, abusive post.

I think we all know that Allen is volatile. I for one didnt want him as manager. However you have to see what he has done here.
He has turned us around. He has got the fans involved. He is bringing the fans back to the ground and to forget their dislike for mr scally.
Yes Mr Allen is egotistical, so is our chairman. Yes a lot of what he does is about him, but you cannot take away facts.

We are playing the best football we have played since the pulis/taylor days. We are combative when required and cometitive when needed. We get to the 2nd ball.
we play some lovely passing football. There is a buzz about the place again. We actually go to games thinking that we might win, even if we won the week before.

I do not know if its going to be a short or long ride on the road of success, all I do know is that as a Gillingham fan I have had to put up with misery most of my 40 years of supporting the gill's, so I am not going to throw away an opportunity to enjoy things and I am currently really enjoying things.

I wish Cheltenham well this season. Obviously I want to beat you tommorow, but I would also take a point, but after that I wish Cheltenham every success.

Chelt Head mate who knows why things work at some places and not others. I bet Portsmouth fans had the same feeling about Harry Redknapp when he took over at Tottenham

[Elgrande]

Rob; you say he has engaged the fans, but he seems not to tolerate any dissenting voices or any questions or engage fans in any sort of discussions. I agree we should enjoy the ride, but not at the expense of all integrity.

[Robpthegills]

So how has he not engaged the fans then Elg.

It was his idea for the 13th man, he has praised the support in just about every single interview he has done. He has tried to bring in ideas to engage the fans. Not all of them work but at least he is trying. He has engaged fans at away games.

WHERE is he not listening to dissent. Who is dissenting. You yourself are always moaning about our fans being quiet and moaning and even now they are quite vociferous so if he is against them why not. he has given us our best start in years.

Dont understand your post at all, I think sometimes your desire to play devils advocate just plays against your previous arguments and comments. Unless of course we are to listen to the rantings of the d/head in the main stand who moans at everything everyone does and I think he only comes to the gill's because no one at home listens to him.

Anyway, must go to bed I have just seen the time lol, just got back from london.

That should read just finished doing my paperwork after getting back from london.

[gillsfan1066]

You lost him, we got him and tomorrow night GFC are going to kick some butt.
Good defence ? You have let in 3 goals 3 times in 15 games, it's not Gillingham Town of the Toolstation Western League your playing , Its GFC future 2012/13 Division Two Champions , it takes TWO teams TWO games to put three past the Gills.
Don't forget if everything goes wrong with our current manager , we have got the mighty mighty Hessy locked in a cage in the grounds keepers storage shed, gnawing at the locks just dying to get back to the side lines.
Anyway have a great evening , think your directors do a good job considering you only put 2700 in the stands for home games.

[Garawa]

I'm going to do what I always do Rob, sit on the fence! (I call it getting a balanced view)!!!

He has done more to engage the fans in the short time he has been here than the past three managers as a whole. That said, I believe a lot of it is propaganda to curry favour with supporters and given the start we have had it is more than working. We know he doesn't like message boards and he knows his past misdemeanours can quickly spread through them so he needs to show to us that he is on our side.

Whilst things are rosy I am more than happy he is here and I hope lessons have been learned from previous roles and that, should it all start to change, things are nipped in the bud by the chairman before too much damage is done.

[mark8364]

I haven't been myself, but from those who have, a great time to see the best of Martin Allen is turn up at training! He spends time with the fans, makes sure all the players speak to them and get whatever autographs and photos they want. He is very enthusiastic about the club and it's supporters.

[Poshgill]

From one who didn't want Allen at all, I'll admit he has completely won me over. Apart from the great entertaining football, which would have won me over on it's own, Allen's interaction with the fans is the best I have ever seen from a Gills manager. Getting a fan to do the team talk at Port Vale. Instructing the players that they will be available to attend any fans functions (Birthday, Annivesary, Weddings etc but not stag 'do's') encouraging fans to turn up at training. All these things are unprecedented for a Gills manager. Also, every time, and I mean every time I have heard him interviewed he is effusive in his praise for Gills and the fans. He has stated, quite catagorically, that he is happy here and not after chasing a big move. He's done that and it didn't work out. He also never fails to give praise to the players when needed or in the case of the stunning performance by the Oxford keeper, in his praise for an opponent playing well.

It might be spin, it might be BS, but by god, he is good at it!