Gillingham’s managing director comments on why the club have decided to part company with head coach Stephen Clemence and assistant Robbie Stockdale

Gillingham hope fresh impetus will lead them to promotion glory next season.

The Gills want to get out of League 2 as quickly as possible with chairman Brad Galinson keen to see some returns on the pitch from the money invested.

More: Clem sacked a month after chairman’s backing

Mr Galinson took a punt on Stephen Clemence in November – replacing Neil Harris – after believing he could be the man to transform their playing style and propel them out of the EFL bottom tier this season.

Despite some improvements, a 12th place finish and second lowest scorers wasn’t what he had expected.

Joe Comper, who recently stepped into the role as the club’s managing director, believes that if they were to make a change to their management team, it needed to be done now.

The club are already in the process of talking to current and new players ahead of next season.

Clemence departs along with assistant boss Robbie Stockdale.

Mr Comper said: “Stephen and Robbie are great characters and are good people.

“We have been met with a really difficult decision, whether to stick with them in the hope results turn around after changes to the playing squad in the summer, or to bring some fresh impetus to the club at a time when a new person can spend time assessing and assembling a squad that they believe can take us forward, hopefully towards League One next season.

"Our supporters have backed us heavily over the past two seasons and we are impatient to achieve success for them, and feel that our best chance of having that success is by making a change at this point.”

The Gills announced Clemence’s departure on Monday and a club statement said: “Stephen joined the Gills in November 2023 and has since worked hard to achieve the ultimate goal of