Gillingham's youngsters' up for grabs to gain expereince in local non-league football

GILLINGHAM youth development coach Mark Patterson feels his players would benefit from gaining experience by putting a side in the Kent League.




The League Two outfit will be sending out their talented youngsters out to non-league clubs to gain experience again this season – but Patterson believes if the club could enter a senior league in Kent this would benefit their everybody.

Speaking after the 130^th Anniversary Trophy tournament between Chatham Town, Gillingham and the Royal Engineers at Chatham Town on Sunday, Patterson said:
“It’s a possibility.  It will be like a feeder league. The old reserve leagues were like that but the old reserve leagues lost their competitiveness so nowadays reserve games are not competitive enough. Some players don’t even play in them.

“I’d like to go back to the old ways where you didn’t play in the first team you’re a reserve team player and you’d play midweek. These leagues don’t exist anymore because these lads, under 19’s and under 20 players would be regular reserve team players.

“Nowadays they’re part of this (Elite Player Performance Plan) programme and we play development games and we play you’re Chatham’s, Woodstock’s, Whitstable’s and Faversham’s and this is how we learn the game, learn the trade. It’s a big learning curve but it’s beneficial for us.”

There are many former Gillingham players who learnt their trade in the youth ranks at Priestfield Stadium, who have done well for themselves in the non-league game.

And Patterson will use his contacts in Kent to blood their youngsters in The Football Conference (Premier and South) and Ryman Leagues.

He said: “With the introduction of the new EPPP system we can take third year scholars so we can keep the boys on for an extra year now, which is this development squad.

“The idea for us is we get them out on loan in local football, going to places like Chatham, Ramsgate, Sittingbourne, Faversham, Maidstone and places like that so they get knocked around and they get used to play against men in competitive football.

“Connor Essam was a prime example last year.  Connor went to Dartford, I think he had about 10 games for Dartford and he when he came back he was able to go in the first team.  He’s advanced in the first team.

“It serves both ways. The club’s get the benefit of some of our players and we get a major benefit of the fact that they’re out playing senior football, which is what it’s all about.”

Gillingham’s kids will face a physical battle on Thursday night when they travel to Woodstock Park to face a combination of a Woodstock Sports and Woodstock Park squad.

Woodstock Sports are renowned to being the most physical side in the Kent League – but Patterson is looking forward to the challenge.

He said: “They’ll be hard work.   That’s what the lads need.  If you see Academy football it’s all nice. It’s all passing but when you play against non-league teams in the best will in the world they tend to get the ball forward quite quickly so players have to learn to adapt to that.  It’s no point being able to play nice 10-yard little triangles if you can’t adapt the ball coming into your box. You have to adapt.   These players have got to try and do both things.

“If we can take to places like Woodstock and get knocked around and they get used to the physical side of the game then it will benefit us and them.”

Meanwhile, Gillingham’s first team play Royal Engineers at Priestfield Stadium tonight (7:00pm). Admission prices have been reduced to £5 (adults) and £2 (concessions) and all profits raised from the game will be donated to ABF, the Soldiers Charity.

Martin Allen’s side opened their pre-season campaign with a 1-0 win at Dartford at the weekend, courtesy of Ben Strevens’ strike.

Visit Gillingham’s website: www.gillinghamfootballclub.com  

Woodstock XI  v  Gillingham
Pre-Season Friendly
Thursday 26^th July 2012
Kick Off 7:45pm
at Woodstock Park, Broadoak Road, Sittingbourne, Kent ME9 8AG