Latest news with #Gillingham
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Shrewsbury will 'outperform budget'
Shrewsbury Town boss Michael Appleton says he is "very confident" his squad will "outperform" the club's budget for the coming season. Town are preparing for life back in League Two after last season's struggles when they finished bottom of the third tier and were relegated. Advertisement Appleton, 49, ended the campaign as Salop's third manager following the sacking of Paul Hurst in November and sudden departure of his replacement, Gareth Ainsworth, to Gillingham with nine games of the season to go. "I'm confident next season will be very different to last season," Appleton told BBC Radio Shropshire. "It's never the be all and end all to get off to a good start but it helps. "I think over 46 games, if we recruit the sort of players we want to bring in, we certainly won't be having the season we had last year." Appleton has overseen four new signings so far this summer with Wrexham centre-back Will Boyle joining fellow defenders Sam Stubbs and Tom Anderson and midfielder Sam Clucas at the club. Advertisement Relegation could potentially cost Shrewsbury £1m in lost commercial revenue, a further blow to the coffers following a loss of £1.6m for the last recorded financial year to June 2024. However, in that same period, the club's overall debt was halved from just over £3m in 2022-23. Whatever restrictions Appleton may have to work under, he is sure the future will be positive. "The only statement of expectation I'm comfortable saying is that we'll outperform our budget," he said. "That's something I've always done at every football club I've been at. "At the start of the season, whatever the budget is, I'm very, very confident we'll outperform it." Time to 'draw a line in the sand' Appleton won only one of his nine games in charge as Town went down, but signed a two-year deal as head coach ahead of the final match - a 2-1 home defeat by Crawley. Advertisement "It was a very short season for me personally last year and even though the break came at a good time because there had to be a re-set, I was just getting into it and I can't wait to get back at it," he said. "When I've had the majority of my success it's been because I've stayed at a club for a period of time and, without sounding too much like [former Tottenham head coach] Ange [Postecoglou] I've always been really strong in my second season when I've had a couple of transfer windows." Appleton says he wants to "draw a line in the sand" on last season and says this term, which starts with a home game against Barrow on 2 August, "will be different". He added: "It wasn't a great time for the club as there were a few things going on, off the pitch as well as on it, which was maybe a bit distracting. Advertisement "I don't want to give excuses and all I can ask is the fans to give us their support which I'm sure they will. "If we can start well, hopefully we'll get a couple of thousand more through the gate."
BBC News
15 hours ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Shrewsbury will 'outperform budget'
Shrewsbury Town boss Michael Appleton says he is "very confident" his squad will "outperform" the club's budget for the coming are preparing for life back in League Two after last season's struggles when they finished bottom of the third tier and were 49, ended the campaign as Salop's third manager following the sacking of Paul Hurst in November and sudden departure of his replacement, Gareth Ainsworth, to Gillingham with nine games of the season to go."I'm confident next season will be very different to last season," Appleton told BBC Radio Shropshire."It's never the be all and end all to get off to a good start but it helps. "I think over 46 games, if we recruit the sort of players we want to bring in, we certainly won't be having the season we had last year." Appleton has overseen four new signings so far this summer with Wrexham centre-back Will Boyle joining fellow defenders Sam Stubbs and Tom Anderson and midfielder Sam Clucas at the could potentially cost Shrewsbury £1m in lost commercial revenue, a further blow to the coffers following a loss of £1.6m for the last recorded financial year to June 2024. However, in that same period, the club's overall debt was halved from just over £3m in restrictions Appleton may have to work under, he is sure the future will be positive. "The only statement of expectation I'm comfortable saying is that we'll outperform our budget," he said."That's something I've always done at every football club I've been at."At the start of the season, whatever the budget is, I'm very, very confident we'll outperform it." Time to 'draw a line in the sand' Appleton won only one of his nine games in charge as Town went down, but signed a two-year deal as head coach ahead of the final match - a 2-1 home defeat by Crawley."It was a very short season for me personally last year and even though the break came at a good time because there had to be a re-set, I was just getting into it and I can't wait to get back at it," he said."When I've had the majority of my success it's been because I've stayed at a club for a period of time and, without sounding too much like [former Tottenham head coach] Ange [Postecoglou] I've always been really strong in my second season when I've had a couple of transfer windows."Appleton says he wants to "draw a line in the sand" on last season and says this term, which starts with a home game against Barrow on 2 August, "will be different".He added: "It wasn't a great time for the club as there were a few things going on, off the pitch as well as on it, which was maybe a bit distracting."I don't want to give excuses and all I can ask is the fans to give us their support which I'm sure they will."If we can start well, hopefully we'll get a couple of thousand more through the gate."
The Sun
17 hours ago
- Business
- The Sun
EFL stadium kitted out with £7m of equipment from the Millennium Dome with kids' play area turned into training centre
AN EFL stadium is packed to the Gills with trinkets from the Millennium Dome. Priestfield Stadium has been home to Gillingham since the club's formation in 1893. 3 3 3 Former Gills chairman Paul Scally grabbed a selection of bargains after the infamous London project was phased out in 2001. The government auctioned off thousands of items following the Dome's demise. Scally - who bought Gillingham for £1 in 1995 - spotted an opportunity. And the 69-year-old got carried away with his bidding at the auction 23 years ago. Scally estimates the club received up to £7million worth of equipment after shelling out just £750,000. The purchases helped Gillingham refurbish a new Priestfields stand at a knock-down price. While the club megastore boasted £250,000 of fittings bought for just £5,000. Scally explained to Sky Sports: "It was a case of being in the right place at the right time. "I've bought tea trolleys, ovens, fire extinguishers, 300 sets of bone china, glasses and all sorts on top of the bigger stuff. "This has allowed us to move the club forward quicker than I had envisaged. We just kept going back to the site for more gear. Abandoned EFL stadium left to rot with pitch covered in weeds just five years after hosting final match "I bought a seven-and-a-half ton lorry to transport everything and we must have made 100 trips to Greenwich. "I've had to borrow a 10,000 sq ft warehouse off a mate because there isn't enough room at the ground for everything." Scally also managed to get his hands on a new indoor training centre. Valued at £1.5million, the Gills chairman converted an 80m x 40m play area from the Dome for just £70,000. Scally gained control of the club in 1995 for a nominal fee of £1, but also took on its £1.5m debt. He sold his controlling stake to US property magnate Brad Galinson in December 2022, while continuing as a non-executive director. Scally was voted off the club's board last year. Gillingham are currently in League Two, having bounced around the third and four tiers for the past two decades. They spent five seasons in the Championship from 2000, but have not returned since relegation in 2005.
BBC News
3 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Gills sign Wycombe striker Vokes on one-year deal
Gillingham have signed former Wales striker Sam Vokes on a one-year deal following his release by Wycombe 35-year-old scored 30 goals in 144 appearances for the Chairboys, having previously twice won promotion to the Premier League with Burnley under Sean is Gillingham's second summer signing, following forward Seb Palmer-Houlden's move from Bristol City in reunites with head coach Gareth Ainsworth, who he worked with for two years at Adams' Park and reached the League One play-off final in 2022."It's great, it's exciting, and I am looking forward to pre-season getting underway," Vokes told the club's website, external."I spoke to the manager a few times over the summer, we know each other well. Being right and ready to go on that first game is what it's all about now."Vokes began his career at Bournemouth before moving to Wolverhampton Wanderers and has also played for Stoke City in a career spanning 19 made his debut for Wales in 2008 and represented his country at Euro 2016, scoring in a 3-1 win against Belgium.
BBC News
3 days ago
- BBC News
Kent trains disrupted after fire causes 'significant damage'
Train services in Kent have been disrupted after a fire caused "significant damage" to signalling cables in Rainham. Southeastern said there would be no services between Sittingbourne and Gillingham until 10:00 BST, with disruption expected to last until midday. The train operator said "urgent repairs" were being carried out and would continue throughout the morning. It added that when the line does reopen, services will continue to be disrupted as trains are moved back into their timetabled positions. Southeastern said services between Ramsgate/Dover Priory and London Victoria via Canterbury East would not run between Sittingbourne and London Victoria. Services will run between Gillingham and Victoria to a reduced frequency, it added. The train operator said high-speed services between Faversham and London St Pancras International were cancelled, along with some Sheerness line services. It added that work was ongoing to source replacement buses between Faversham, Sittingbourne and Rail and Southeastern have been approached by the BBC for further comment.
