New Gillingham manager Steve Evans is resigned to losing top scorer Tom Eaves, admitting to the Kent Messenger he’s likely to follow stopper Tomas Holy out of the door at Priestfield.
Eaves is out of contract this summer after bagging 21 goals in 43 League One outings last season, but he’s unlikely to remain with the club as his services are coveted elsewhere.
Evans, who took over at Gillingham last week, is now preparing to search for a new striker to replace the popular figure of Eaves.
“Tom Eaves has done a wonderful job with some of his goals. They have been stunning,” he said.
“Every time we have come up against each other there has been a mutual respect. He came off the bench here (at Priestfield) against Peterborough and he changed the game in Gillingham’s favour. I said to him he could have left it for the following week!
“Sometimes players want to challenge themselves at higher levels or bigger clubs and football should always be about progression.”
That’s going to leave Evans and chairman Paul Scally with a huge job this summer; replacing both players in time for the new campaign.
“The difficulty is that we have lost some good players but therein lies the opportunity to bring some players in. I don’t think Tom Eaves would have had a multiple amount of options when he signed for Gillingham but he has got his game together and he is a wonderful kid, he deserves it.
“I have given the chairman and Tom (Lawrence), the CEO, a list and I gave them that when I came in on Thursday morning. They will get on and make contact before I take up my role on June 1.”
Our View
Another Steve Evans list changes hands. That’s not going to be short, his past record proves that. Evans is a man who loves a deal and Gillingham’s playing staff will get a major overhaul with the controversial manager at the helm.
That’s not such a bad thing; Eaves and Holy aside they have struggled to find the right blend recently and perhaps Evans can be the catalyst for that.
Either that, or he overspends, floods the squad and then is either sacked or jumps ship before he can crash and burn.
