Saturday 6th March 2010 - Kick Off 15:00

Football League Division One

Venue: krbs Priestfield Stadium

Gills Recent League Form - last 6 matches

Huddersfield’s Recent League Form - last 6 matches

Boss Mark Stimson (left) will let Chris Palmer and Stuart Lewis battle it out in training to prove which one has the right to replace injured right back Barry Fuller.

After bringing in several loan players, Stimson does not want have to bring in cover and expects Palmer or Lewis to fill in. There is also the option of youngster Jack Payne who can play in that position.

He said: "A loan is difficult because there aren’t many out there who are experienced enough and it would have to be a young one. I think Stuart Lewis and Chris Palmer amongst themselves will have to be good enough to do it.

"Chris (Palmer) did his best on Saturday. It was always going to be difficult because he hasn’t played for a while and there was a bit of rustiness in his legs."

Palmer (top right) conceded a second-half penalty in last Saturday's game at Carlisle and was replaced by Lewis in the second half.

Lewis (middle right) also filled in during Fuller’s absence last season. Lewis was back in Gills’ 18-man squad just days after being made available for loan. It’s likely that Stimson will resist any short-term move while Fuller is out.

Youngster Luke Rooney (bottom right) has finally signed a two year contract extension which keeps him at Gillingham until the summer of 2012.

The attacking midfielder was initially offered a new three year deal last October, but an agreement couldn’t be reached at that time.

Rooney, 19, was out of contract last summer, but the club exercised their option of extending that for a further year.

Now a new deal has finally been agreed, Stimson expects Rooney to settle down and challenge for a place in the first team squad.

Stimson said: "He’s got a little bit of security now, he’s happy with the deal and we’re happy with it from the club’s point of view. Now he’s got to work hard to get into the 18-man squad."

No sooner has young striker Andy Pugh, 21, returned from a successful spell on loan with Blue Square South side Welling, he has gone again joining Blue Square Premier side Histon on loan for a month.

Welling manager Jamie Day was keen to get Pugh to re-join permanently, but the player opted to play at a slightly higher level. Pugh was expected to make his debut for Histon on Wednesday night against Rushden & Diamonds.

Finally on-loan defender Darren Dennehy (right) was in the Republic of Ireland’s under-21 squad that faced Armenia on Wednesday evening.

Dennehy, born in County Kerry, has put in some impressive performances since joining Gills on loan from Cardiff City in January, which has resulted in an international recall.

Former Everton youngster Dennehy has been capped ten times at under-21 level.

Terriers boss Lee Clark (pictured left) was less than happy with his side’s showing at Southampton on Tuesday evening and said: “That performance wasn’t worthy of anything to do with Huddersfield Town.”

They were well beaten 5-0 defeat at St Mary’s after going eleven games unbeaten

in League matches and Clark expects a big response on Saturday.

He said: “I am angry and embarrassed and I really don’t want to put my name to that kind of performance, but I am the manager and I accept responsibility.

I am hurting a lot because after just 10 minutes of the game there was only one team that was going to win. They won every first ball, and every second ball, they competed better than we did, they got crosses in far too easily and basically, it was men against boys.”

“Now the way my players respond to this setback will tell me a lot about them and things must be far different at Gillingham on Saturday. I need to see whether they are men or still little boys. I believe they are men and I think they will bounce back. We have had a magnificent run and sometimes you can accept losing, but I cannot accept what happened here.”

"That defeat was not worth anything to Huddersfield Town, certainly not while I'm the manager of this football club. I can only apologise to our fans who again turned out in force. We knew they (Southampton) were a good side with some good individual players,” he added.

“They have a very good recent record and we watched a DVD of their last game, so we knew what to expect, but too many of my players froze in what is a fantastic stadium and we were totally dominated in every aspect of the contest.”

Prior to this game Clark was named on the shortlist of four for the February Manager of the Month for League One … just goes to prove once again that even being on the list of hopefuls for the award, it is a bit of a curse.

The other news of the week from the Galpharm is chairman Dean Hoyle (right) has now become the sole owner of the club following the transfer of the remaining shares held by Ken Davy.

Davy, who is no longer a director of the club, has been appointed life president in recognition of his achievements since helping the club out of administration in 2003. But they are still in talks with Kirklees Council over the ownership of the Galpharm Stadium.

A club statement said: "The agreement, previously announced, for the transfer of the 40% shareholding in Kirklees Stadium Development Limited (KSDL) from Huddersfield Sporting Pride Limited to Huddersfield Town Association Football Club Limited remains in place.

"Completion of this transfer remains subject to the approval of Kirklees Council. This approval was requested formally early in January this year. However, to the great disappointment of all concerned, this consent has not yet been forthcoming. Discussions with the council continue to try to seek a satisfactory resolution."

Finally die-hard Terriers fan, Sir Patrick Stewart (pictured left) best known as Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men films, has been made president of the club's youth academy.

He will help the club raise the profile of its youth system.

Terriers' commercial director Sean Jarvis said: "It's fantastic news that someone with the profile of Sir Patrick Stewart is getting officially involved with the Huddersfield Town Academy.

"Patrick has terrific passion for the football club and will act as a figurehead for the academy as it builds for a bigger future. Everyone at the club is honoured that Sir Patrick has accepted the role and we're looking forward to working with him."

Manager: Lee Clarke (Record to date: P67 W31 D20 L16).

Nickname: The Terriers.

Colours: Home – Blue & White. Away – Red & Navy.

Ground: Galpharm Stadium.

Capacity: 24,500.

Transfers in:  Dean Heffernan from Central Coast Mariners – signed, Jordan Rhodes from Ipswich – signed, Theo Robinson from Watford – free, Robbie Simpson from Coventry - £300,000, Antony Kay from Tranmere – free, Peter Clarke from Southend – free, Lee Pettier from Yeovil – free.

Loans in: Nathan Eccleston from Liverpool, Neal Trotman from Preston, Krystian Pearce from Birmingham, Daniel Drinkwater from Man. Utd.

Transfers out: Matt Glennon to Bradford – free, Michael Flynn to Bradford – free.

Loans out: Tom Denton to Wakefield FC, Lionel Ainsworth to Brentford, Jack Hunt to Grays, Joe Skarz to Shrewsbury, Andy Butler to Blackpool, Jim Goodwin to Oldham, Simon Eastwood to Bradford, Phil Jevons to Morecambe, Ian Craney to Morecambe.

Released: None.

We've met twenty-one times in competitive competitions. The first ever meeting was back in December 1974 when we won 2-0 at the old Leeds Road ground in the old Division Three. About a month later we achieved the double with a 3-2 win at Priestfield.

In our last meeting, we lost 2-1 at the Galpharm mid-December. There was a great deal of optimism as Jackson put us ahead after just three minutes with a fine lob over the advancing Terriers ‘keeper, but …

The total record reads: Gills wins - 9, Huddersfield wins - 8, draws - 4.

•  The Terriers most capped international is Jimmy Nicholson (31 caps for the N. Ireland).

•  Their best ever League win was 10-1 vs.Blackpool - 13/12/1930 - D2 (old).

•  Best ever attendance was 67,037 (at Leeds Road) vs. Arsenal - 27/2/1932 - FA Cup R6.

•  Most League goals in a season: George Brown with 35 -1925/26 - D1 (old).

•  Most League appearances: Billy Smith with 520 from 1914 to 1934.

•  Biggest transfer fee received: £2.7 million from Sheff. Wed. for Andy Booth - July 1996.

•  Biggest transfer fee paid: £1.2 million to Bristol Rovers for Marcus Stewart - July 1996.

Boss Mark Stimson has a minor selection headache as an unyet unnamed striker injured his calf in last week's game at Carlisle and has not been able to take part in training this week.

It is hoped that the mystery forward, rumoured to be loan signing Chris Dickson (right) as he was subbed after an hour of last weekend’s game, will play some part in training on Friday but rates their chances of playing at 50/50.

Skipper Barry Fuller (broken arm) and centre-half Simon King (ankle ligaments) remain sidelined.

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

Terriers boss Lee Clark is likely to be without defender Lee Peltier after he was stretchered off with an ankle injury in the recent Derby clash with Leeds.

There could make changes after their midweek 5-0 defeat at Southampton that left Clark "very angry and embarrassed" by his sides display.

Terriers eleven from (4-4-2): Alex Smithies (GK), Simon Eastwood (GK), Lee Peltier, Michael Collins, Peter Clarke, Nathan Clarke, Gary Roberts, Anthony Kay, Theo Robinson, Robbie Simpson, Tom Clarke, Dean Heffernan, Robbie Williams, Jordan Rhodes, Anthony Pilkington, Chris Lucketti, Lee Novak, James Berrett, Danny Drinkwater, Krystian Pearce, Liam Ridehalgh, Spencer Harris, Jack Hunt, Leigh Franks, Aiden Chippendale, Neal Trotman, Nathan Eccleston, Taser Hassan.

Saturday’s referee is Mr Fred Graham from Essex. The 42-year-old started refereeing in 1988 and progressed via local football and the ECL to the National List in 2000, before gaining promotion to the Referees list in 2004.

Unfortunately he only had one season at this level before returning to the list of Panel Referees. However his commitment once again gained him promotion to the National List of Referees in 2006.

To date this term he has booked fifty-three with five red cards in twenty-one games. He was the man that handed out seven yellows and two reds during our Boxing Day game at home to Brentford.

His assistants are Mr David Bushell from London and Mr Matt Foley from Berkshire. Our fourth official is Mr Ian Cooper from Kent.