Saturday 13th February 2010 - Kick Off 15:00

Football League Division One

Venue: Huish Park

Gills Recent League Form - last 6 matches

Yeovil’s Recent League Form - last 6 matches

Gills boss Mark Stimson is now looking ahead to this weekend’s game after the ‘dreaded’ vote of confidence from Chairman Scally over his future.

The defeat to strugglers Tranmere dropped us into the danger zone with the manager receiving some angry chants from a section of the home support and understandably so with his side now nine games without a win. But after a conversation with the Chairman for about an hour on Wednesday, Stimson is now focused on getting a result at Yeovil to climb back out of the drop zone.

He said: “It was a good discussion, an honest one between two honest people. We’re both not happy with the position we’re in and we both weren’t happy with the performance the other night. Like me he’s very disappointed and frustrated from the other night’s performance because we both didn’t see it coming.”

“We’ve had a good honest chat and we look forward to the game on Saturday. He just said ‘do what you do, keep your head down and give it your best’.”

The players had Wednesday off as usual after a midweek game, but Stimson spent much of the day talking to members of his squad on the phone. The Gills boss said the calls were productive and the players gave him the answers he was looking for.

He said: “Now it’s certainly about characters, people who want to perform and play for themselves and the club to get us out of the position we’re in. I spent a lot of time on the phone speaking to players and I’ve got a good idea now who I think are the ones who are really up for this battle we’re in.”

Will big striker Mark McCammon (top right) find himself back in the squad as we struggle to hit the back of the net? Does that mean we’ll see Stimson’s midfield ‘favourite’, Adam Miller (bottom right) back in the starting eleven, as he always seems up ‘for a fight’? Read on …

Following his backing from the Chairman, he has questioned whether some of his players have the ‘bottle’ for a relegation scrap and called on his players to prove that they do.

Stimson said: "It looks like some of the players are lacking in confidence but me, personally, I’d say bottle. To me, some of them are thinking ‘I might get a whack here.’ Well, so what, get a whack, get up and get on with it. Some of them don’t want to get that whack and that’s hard for me to take because they have got so much ability."

He also suggested that some are "possibly not standing up to be counted" and added: "Some might have started thinking they have arrived because they’re in League One. If they have then they shouldn’t. Their aim should be to move even higher up the ladder."

Stimson insists he still has the support of the dressing room, saying: "I don’t think the players are against me. If they were, I’d be surprised. It doesn’t matter who is in charge, whether it’s me or Mr Capello. The players have to do it, we can only help them so much.”

"We’re in a fantastic league and want to stay in it. It took a lot of hard work last year to get in and we can’t just let that go by not giving it everything we’ve got. I’m not happy (to be in the bottom four) but the big picture is that there are some very, very good football players here who just need nursing along and a bit of know-how on the football pitch to get the best out of them."

He said possibly introducing ‘influential characters’ into the team to "do things the crowd won’t hear" could benefit his side: "We need someone to use the right language on the pitch and get people firing on all cylinders. We might have to get a few in there who might not be crowd favourites, but could give us the chance to win games."

He added: "Adam Miller falls into that category. He’s been the most disappointed person the past three games that he hasn’t played. It might be time. You’ve got to be arrogant and horrible, he can do that.”

Let’s hope Stimson hasn’t forgotten what Miller said while on loan at Dagenham … why should he get a second chance, when McCammon (who has openly said he DOES want to stay) is unlikely to get a look in?

He went onto say: “A few are looking after themselves maybe, thinking, ‘I played better than him,’ or ‘he was rubbish.’ We don’t want that."

He also said he was hoping that slipping into the relegation zone might act as a wake-up call to his players. He said: "Sometimes if it comes earlier you can do something about it. If it’s with only a game or two to go it’s a problem. Now we’re in it, we’ve got to get back out of it."

Young striker Luis Cumbers won’t feature as he joined Blue Square South club Dover Athletic on-loan. The 21-year-old has been drafted in to provide much-needed cover and competition up front for the Whites, managed by former Gills legend, Andy Hessenthaler. He has already impressed during loan spells at Maidstone United, Grays Athletic, AFC Wimbledon and Ebbsfleet United.

Former Ipswich and now Yeovil frontman Dean Bowditch (left) hopes to reach double figures sooner rather later in the goalscoring charts. He has scored six goals in just 13 League One outings after missing four months of the season through injury.

Now he is back with his eye for goal, scoring twice last Saturday in the Glovers’ 4-1 success at Wycombe Wanderers and he was disappointed not to have a hat-trick. He is pleased, however with the way his partnership with Sam Williams is beginning to develop in the Glovers frontline.

He said: “I'm looking for more than double-figures this season. I've been a bit unlucky at times, but now I'm back and playing where I'm most comfortable up front. Me and Sam seem to bounce off his flick-ons and we seem to combine quite well.”

“That's where I want to play and that's where I'm going to score my goals, and when I've scored my goals this season has been when I've played there.”

He added: I've done a job when I've played a little bit wider but I think the gaffer knows I can play better up front.”

Manager: Terry Skiverton (Record to date: P48 W11 D16 L21).

Nickname: The Glovers.

Colours: Home – Green & White hoops. Away – Dark Blue with Grren/White trim.

Ground: Huish Park.

Capacity: 9,665.

What’s it like for Gills fans?

Gills fans will be in the Copse Road open terrace at one end of the ground. This is uncovered, so be prepared if rain is forecast. The terrace accommodates up to 1,750 supporters, additionally a small number of seats are allocated to away fans in the Agusta Westland Community Stand, which is covered. However tickets here are only made available in this area to families with young children and senior citizens.

Huish Park has a very vocal crowd in the home terrace … and despite the presence of a drummer and trumpeter in that end it is said it has an enjoyable atmosphere. If Yeovil score then 'Glad All Over' by the Dave Clark Five (for those that remember the 60’s) blasts out around the ground.

A word of caution though … other visiting fans have said that they found the turnstiles at the away end closed when arriving just five minutes after kick off and had to find a steward (who are said to be helpful and friendly) to help get them in.

Transfers in: Jean-Paul Kalala from Oldham – free, Dean Bowditch from Ipswich – free, Sam Williams from Aston Villa – free, Scott Murray from Bristol City – free, Stefan Stam from Oldham – signed.

Loans in: Owain Tudur Jones from Norwich, Shaun McDonald from Swansea, Steven Chaulker from Spurs, Ryan Mason from Spurs, Alex McCarthy from Reading.

Transfers out: Josh Wagenaar to Falkirk – free, Luke Rodgers to Notts County – free, Lee Peltier to Huddersfield – free.

Loans out: Richard Martin to Grays, Danny Schofield to Millwall.

Released: Gary Roberts.

We have only met Yeovil eight times in competitive action. The first was a round two FA Cup tie in Yeovil on the 10th December 1949, when both sides were non-League. The Glovers ran out 3-1 winners on the day.

Our last meeting was at Priestfield last November when we won 1-0 thanks to a tenth minute Jackson penalty.

The overall record reads: Gills wins - 1, Yeovil wins - 5, draws - 2.

•  Yeovil don't have a most capped full international.

•  Their best ever League win was 10-0 vs. Kidderminster - 27/12/1955 - S/ League (old).

•  Best ever attendance: 8,612  vs. Arsenal  - 2/1/1993 - FA Cup R3.

•  Most League goals in a season: Dave Taylor with 59 -1960/61 - Southern League (old).

•  Most League appearances: Len Harris with 691 from 1960 to 1969.

•  Biggest transfer fee received: £75,000 for Mark Shail from Bristol City.

•  Biggest transfer fee paid: £25,000 for Michael McIndoe to Hereford - February 2001.

Manager Mark Stimson has no fresh injuries after Tuesday night's home defeat to Tranmere and will be hoping to welcome back on loan striker Rene Howe (pictured left) who missed the last two games with a dead leg.

Centre-half Garry Richards could also be in contention after recovering from a bout of conjunctivitis. On loan winger Tristan Plummer has returned to Bristol City for treatment to a twisted ankle and won’t feature this week. Striker Jacob Erskine (ankle) is also a doubt, while Luis Cumbers has joined Dover on a month's loan.

Gills eleven from (4-4-2): Alan Julian (GK), Simon Royce (GK), John Nutter, Josh Gowling, Kevin Maher, Curtis Weston, Stuart Lewis, Chris Palmer, Danny Jackman, Mark Bentley, Dennis Oli, Mark McCammon, Simeon Jackson, James Walker, Andy Barcham, Jack Payne, Tom Wynter, Luke Rooney, Rashid Yussuff, Rene Howe, Darren Dennehy, Adam Miller.

Yeovil's only confirmed absentee is central midfielder Jean Paul Kalala, who serves the second of a two-game suspension for collecting ten bookings in the campaign so far.

Ironically Kalala was red-carded in the reverse tie at Priestfield for a reckless challenge on Kevin Maher. On loan striker Jonathan Obika has returned to Spurs.

Glover’s eleven from (4-4-2): Alex McCarthy (GK), Ben Roberts (GK), Craig Alcock, Nathan Jones, Stefan Stam, Steven Caulker, Terrell Forbes, Kieran Murtagh, Sam Williams (top middle), Gavin Tomlin, Andy Welsh, Ryan Mason, Dean Bowditch, Scott Murray, Aidan Downes, Owain Tudur-Jones (top left), Danny Hutchins, Terry Skiverton (player manager top right), Shaun MacDonald, Nathan Smith, Chris Cheetham, Andre McCollin, Dylan Lee.

Our referee this Saturday is Mr Mr Phil Crossley from Kent, who didn’t start refereeing until he was 29.  He made rapid progress through the Suburban, Isthmian and Panel Leagues until his promotion to the National List of referees in 2002.

He was the 4th official for the 2005 League Cup Final and has refereed the FA Women’s’ Cup Final, FA Vase Final, and a League One Play Off Final in addition to refereeing matches in the Premier League. He missed season 2007-08 due to injuries.

He was last in charge of a Gills game quite recently when he took charge of our home clash with Wycombe in October when we won 3-2 thanks to goals from Gowling, Weston and Jackson. Six were cautioned that evening – four Gills and two Wycombe.

His assistants are Mr Brett Huxtable from Devon and Mr Mark Russell from Gloucestershire. Our fourth official is Mr Brendan Malone from Wlitshire.