The Beeching's Cross training ground in Gillingham

Gillingham have put forward an offer of payment in a row over its training ground rent and utility bills.

Matters came to a head earlier today after landowners Medway council ordered the club to leave their training ground for failing to pay their bills.

The club owes Medway Council more than £34,000 and the authority has written to the Gills telling them to leave.

" “i know nothing about it, i’m livid
" – chairman paul scally

A statement said: "The club have put forward an offer of payment, the council is considering this and hopes to resolve this matter."

It comes as players are due back for pre-season training tomorrow.

The club have used Beechings Cross in Gillingham for around 10 years, but bills stretching back to 2008 have not been paid.

The council say they have been “left with no option” but to write to the Gills saying they are trespassing and must hand back the keys on Friday.

If they don’t, the council will begin legal proceedings.

Finance chief Cllr Alan Jarrett said earlier: “The money owed is not a small figure, and it is public money provided by the taxpayer.

“It would not be right, or fair to taxpayers or those that pay their rent, to ignore this.

“This can be resolved quite easily. It doesn’t mean they have to do both [pay the bills and sign a new lease] by Friday, but they have to start the process."

Medway Council initially wrote to the club in June last year about the money it owed and when it heard nothing contacted them again and was assured the money would be paid.

But, despite this, the money was not paid and the club has failed to talk to the council about this since.

A further letter was sent in April this year stating The Gills must pay the money by the end of that month and that it must agree to a new lease – as it has refused to do so since it ran out four years ago – by June 1 or leave by the end of that month.

Speaking as the KM Group spoke exclusively to him today, Gills chairman Paul Scally said: “I know nothing about it, I’m livid.

"I’m waiting for the chief executive to call me back. I don’t know about a dispute.

"They haven’t talked to us about it, I didn’t know there was an issue. What are Medway Council playing at?"

He was said to be hopping on a flight from Dubai today, where he lives.

The club had been asked to hand over the keys by 4pm on Friday.