Neil Harris’ shock departure from Gillingham means that the Gills are now searching for a brand new manager, the former Millwall man dismissed from his role at the Kent club seemingly out of nowhere.
Gillingham find themselves in a respectable 8th spot in League One at the time of writing, six wins to their name from 11 matches played.
There was some discontent at the Gills however when it came to their attacking play and their overall lack of goals – only nine goals scored so far this season – but the positive results had often outweighed any major concerns about the impotent attacking displays.
With their next appointment, the Gillingham hierarchy might well opt for a manager who wants to play more adventurous and swashbuckling football – a figure that will get fans out of their seats more regularly at Priestfield.
They’ll have to get the appointment spot on, with large sections of the Gillingham fanbase bemused by the cutthroat decision to get rid of Harris.
Who is being lined up to replace the ex Millwall manager?
Here are five names that could potentially take the reins in the near future, the list containing a current boss excelling in non-league, a proven League Two manager out of a job and more!
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Karl Robinson
Karl Robinson could well venture back into EFL management with Gillingham, the former Oxford United manager assistant to Sam Allardyce at Leeds United in his last job.
Now, he will want to return to being the main man in the dug-out.
Robinson’s main successes as a manager came at his first club in MK Dons, clinching promotion from League One with Milton Keynes during the 2014-15 season – finishing runner-ups to Bristol City in 2nd place in the automatic promotion spots.
He failed to acclimatise to the Championship as boss, but MK’s best days in recent memory came under Robinson’s management.
His time at Oxford also saw Robinson make his U’s side competitive in the third tier, routinely competing in the League One playoffs.
Oxford would never be successful to the same degree as MK under Robinson – two failed playoff finishes saw Oxford lose a playoff final in 2020 and then also bow out in the semi-finals in 2021 – but his time at Oxford United was largely positive before it all went wrong for the 43-year-old towards the end.
After having his ego bruised towards the latter stages of his time at Oxford – departing the U’s after his team went winless in eight – he might be willing to drop down to League Two with the Gills.
With how ambitious Gillingham are being, the Gills firmly setting their sights on promotion to League One, they could well tempt Robinson to become their next manager to help the team reach their goal of jumping up to the third tier.
Danny Cowley
Gillingham would also have to tempt Cowley to manage down in the fourth tier again, the 44-year-old last managed in League Two back in 2019 in charge of Lincoln City.
His time at Lincoln City as boss means he’s still heralded as a great for the Imps, winning 98 of his 184 games in charge which saw countless promotions achieved and a celebrated FA Cup run along the way too beating the likes of Burnley and Brighton in 2016 whilst the Imps were in non-league.
Cowley would win three honours as manager of Lincoln, lifting both the 2016-17 National League title and the 2018-19 League Two title whilst also securing the FA Trophy in the 2017-18 campaign.
He will be in the running for the Gills vacancy purely off his time with the Imps, taking Lincoln from non-league obscurity all the way up to League One in a matter of years.
Cowley’s time at Sincil Bank would lead the 44-year-old to take up job opportunities in the Championship and higher up in League One, managing at both Huddersfield Town and Portsmouth.
Both saw Cowley struggle in patches however, sacked by both clubs after poor runs of form meant he was dismissed.
Cowley would be a coup for the Gills if he was announced as their next manager regardless of his underwhelming spells at both Pompey and the Terriers, a proven promotion winner from League Two.
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Andy Woodman
The Gills could poach an exciting new head coach from non-league as their next manager instead of appointed a more experienced boss who knows the EFL inside out, Andy Woodman from Bromley sticking out in this regard.
Previously a goalkeeping coach at the likes of West Ham, Charlton and Newcastle United, whilst also taking on the role of Head of Goalkeeping at Arsenal for a short period of time, Woodman has been manager of Bromley since 2021.
He’s been successful over the 130 games he’s taken charge of so far for the Ravens, winning a Manager of the Month accolade in May 2021 a matter of months after taking on the position at the Greater London outfit.
At the time of writing, Woodman has his side at 5th spot in the National League. They are punching above their weight arguably, higher in the division than the likes of Oldham Athletic, Woking and Rochdale currently.
Seven wins from 14 matches played so far is an impressive return, a recent 3-1 victory over Gateshead sticking out with Michael Cheek’s double for Woodman’s men securing the three points.
Geographically, Woodman wouldn’t have to uproot fair either if the Gills did come knocking.
Could Gillingham give Woodman a chance to impress in the EFL as a boss so soon into his fledgling managerial career?
Scott Lindsey
Gillingham could well raid Crawley again, but this time for their current manager in Scott Lindsey – the Gills signing their new striker partnership Tom Nichols and Ashley Nadesan from the Red Devils in the summer.
Despite losing a number of their star talents and plenty of drama surrounding the Crawley owners dominating conversation in the off-season, Crawley have been immense in League Two this season.
September saw Crawley surprise a number of teams to keep up their blistering start, shrugging off any suggestions from pundits that they’d be relegation fodder.
Lindsey’s Red Devils scored goals for fun, beating both Newport County and Sutton United at home 4-1 and 3-0 whilst their away outings have also seen similar levels of entertainment served up – winning 3-2 at Grimsby and drawing 3-3 away at Edgeley Park versus Stockport County.
Gillingham might well have Lindsey top of their pile for potential new bosses as a result of the amount of goals in Crawley’s games this season, backed up by the fact they are currently in 5th spot in the league above the Gills.
Lindsey commented on the rumours before his team faced off against Wrexham this weekend, keeping hush on all the speculation. Could he be moving to Kent past this Saturday?
https://twitter.com/MarkSDunford/status/1709921121145864663
Mark Warburton
A rogue option to finish the list of candidates for the Gillingham vacancy, but Mark Warburton could be a statement appointment for the Kent based outfit if a move materialised.
Warburton has been out of work in the football world since June of this year, leaving the West Ham coaching set-up.
The 61-year-old was heralded as an exciting manager during his time with Brentford, winning promotion to the Championship as Bees boss during his first season with the club in 2014.
Whilst managing in the Championship the season directly after, the London born manager was linked with a number of high profile moves to clubs such as Leeds United and Newcastle United after stabilising the Bees in the division.
He would get two high profile jobs after Brentford, managing at both Nottingham Forest and Rangers.
Gillingham could well see Warburton as a star name to bring to the club, a huge capture and an ambitious managerial appointment that warranted Harris’ shock exit.
Warburton left West Ham too in order to go after a more senior role in football, would the manager’s job at Gillingham be alluring for the 61-year-old?
What do you make of our list of potential managers for Gillingham? Any names we’ve missed out? Let us know in the comments below…
