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Gillingham fans expect their side to be overhauled during the summer after falling short of play-offs in League 2

Gillingham fans endured a nervous afternoon at Chesterfield.
Gillingham fans endured a nervous afternoon at Chesterfield.

Gills fans flocked to Chesterfield on Saturday in the hope their side could snatch a League 2 play-off place, but left feeling an overhaul of the squad was needed in the close season.

BJORN SIMPOLE

(Worcester Park)

"The frustration of the whole thing is that we were in a position where we needed to get a result on Saturday. If we had taken anything from the previous two home games then we would have made it, which makes it even more galling.

"I think over the 90 minutes Chesterfield deserved to win, but we didn’t help ourselves with some schoolboy defending. Our defensive side is just not good enough.

"We need to rebuild and if we could keep Cody and Akinfenwa then we’d have a fantastic chance of promotion next season, but Cody can obviously play at League 1 level.

"We need to bring in defenders, the ones we have are not good enough. We need to build around Matt Lawrence for another year. We need massive changes at the back."

JAMIE MANTON

(Sheffield)

"It was Barnet and Macclesfield and the draw with Morecambe that did the damage - I would have had us down for nine points there.

"Chesterfield were just a class above everyone else this season. It was a fantastic atmosphere among the Gills fans, especially when we equalised at a time when Torquay were losing, but once they scored the second the fans were a bit despondent because they knew it would be tough to equalise again.

"It’s going to be an interesting summer, it is going to be tough to keep Cody, even though I don’t think Norwich are going to want him in the Premier League. Hopefully we can keep Akinfenwa and the spine of the team, Lawrence, Weston, Barcham and the front two, because automatic promotion has to be the target for us.

"That said it’s going to be a difficult league to get out of with Crawley coming up and Swindon, Plymouth and Dagenham coming down."

EDDIE ALLCORN

(Canterbury)

"It was quite a good game and we played reasonably well. They were champions-elect and it was not this game that cost us, but losing the two home games 4-2 which is why we’re not in the play-offs. A lot of people thought we’d lose in the play-offs anyway.

"We all went mad when McDonald scored but once they went 2-1 up they finished the stronger. There was a positive atmosphere throughout, the fans weren’t getting on the players back like they do at home.

"There are lots of flaws in the team to work on. Most people would say we need a new goalkeeper and three new defenders."

RICHARD PEPPER

(Manston)

"Chesterfield fully deserve the title and were worthy winners. Whenever they got the ball down to play it, they put nine or ten passes together. We were lucky to put two or three together and just seem to have noting to offer except lumping the ball forward.

"Overall they are a far more balanced side particularly in midfield, where we have been consistently weak all season. Anyone watching us play can see just how totally inept we look on the ball, that we are devoid of ideas and severly lacking fitness.

"There is little doubt the starting XI will bear little resemblence to the side that has just finished. Cody McDonald must be commended for a first season in the football league with a tally of 25 goals, which in truth masked just what a poor side we have been."

CHESTERFIELD FAN

David May

"It was a good day for us and I was about right with my prediction of 4-1. It went pretty much as I thought it would, Gillingham had to defend for long spells, they had their chances but weren’t sharp enough to take them.

"It might have been a different game if they had been able to score first. Akinfenwa was a handful, a lot better than I‘ve seen him before, and I like McDonald as a player, even if his goal was a bit fortunate.

"Hopefully we’ll be able to go up and stay up, I think we could surprise a few teams next season. I’d like to thank the Gillingham fans for clapping our youth team and for clapping us at the end as well."

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