Saturday 24th April 2010 - Kick Off 15:00

Football League Division One

Venue: Carrow Road

Gills Recent League Form - last 6 matches

Norwich Recent League Form - last 6 matches

Canaries boss Paul Lambert (pictured right) has once again played down press speculation linking him with the vacant managers’ chair at Celtic.

The former Bhoys star has been linked with the job ever since Tony Mowbray was sacked almost a month ago.  But Lambert insists that he’s happy at Norwich, especially after achieving promotion back to the Championship.

“The only people that talk about it are the ones speculating,” said Lambert speaking on TalkSport earlier this week.  “I don’t ever think about it.”

Manager: Paul Lambert (Record to date: P47 W30 D9 L8)

Nickname: The Canaries

Colours: Home – Yellow & Green. Away – White & Green trim.

Ground: Carrow Road

Capacity: 26.034

What will it be like for Gills fans at Carrow Road?

Gills fans will be on one side of the new South Stand, on one side of the ground. As you would expect the facilities and view of the playing area is good. The normal allocation in this area is 2,500 fans. The place is particularly friendly and relaxed and rated as one of the better away days, even though it seems an eternity to get there.

With Delia Smith is on the board, the food available within the ground has been improved a fair bit and is very good. They even bake their own pies which include the usual array such as steak & kidney, chicken & mushroom, but also a number of 'matchday specials' (which change from game to game) such as beef in red wine gravy & cheese, mushroom and garlic.

A visiting Sheffield United fan said; 'I visited Carrow Road and found it to be a pleasant, relaxing atmosphere which made for a very enjoyable day out. We were the first away supporters to sit in the new South Stand, towards the right hand side of the stand, towards the Barclay End. The stand is very modern, and offers a decent view of the action with plenty of leg room. One problem I did encounter was the tendency of the stewards to order away supporters to keep seated throughout the game.’

This will no doubt lead to a chorus of ‘Stand up for the Gillingham’, but be warned, fans have been ejected for ignoring this rule.

(Information courtesy of www.footballgroundguide.co.uk)

Transfers in: Zak Whitbread from Millwall – signed, Oli Johnson from Stockport – signed,  Anthony McNamee from Swindon – signed, Russell Martin from Peterborough – signed, Grant Holt from Shrewsbury – signed, Rhoys Wiggins from Crystal Palace – signed, Simon Whaley from Preston – signed, Grant Holt from Shrewsbury – signed, Rhoys Wiggins from Crystal Palace – signed, Paul McVeigh from Luton – free, Stephen Hughes from Motherwell – signed, Michael Nelson from Hartlepool – free, Owain Tudur-Jones from Swansea – £250,000, Matt Gill from Exeter – free.

Loans in: Stephen Elliott from Preston, Michael Rose from Stockport, Fraser Forster from Newcastle.

Transfers out: Jon Otsemobor to Southampton – free, Stuart Nelson to Aberdeen – free, Sammy Clinigan to Coventry - £650,000, Robert Eagle to Inverness CT – free, David Marshall to Cardiff – free, Lee Croft to Derby – free.

Loans out: David Stephens to Lincoln City, Jamie Cureton to Shrewsbury, Rhoys Wiggins to Bournemouth, Simon Whaley to Chesterfield, Kris Renton to Brechin.

Released: None.

We have met 54 times in total to date. Our first was back in the 1920/21 season when we drew 0-0 at Priestfield and lost 1-2 at Carrow Road in the old Division Three.

In the 1921/22 and 1922/23 seasons, we enjoyed thumping homes wins over the Canaries, 5-2 and 5-0 respectively, but they got their revenge in 1951/52 with a 5-0 win at Carrow Road and in 1955/56, 5-1.

Our last meeting was at Priestfield last September with the game ending 1-1.

The total record reads: Gills wins - 18, Norwich wins - 25, draws - 12.

•  The Canaries most capped international is Mark Bowen (35 caps for Wales).

•  Their best ever League win was 10-2 v. Coventry City – 15/3/1930 - D3 South (old).

•  Best ever attendance: 43,984 v. Leicester City – 30/3/1963 - FA Cup R6.

•  Most League goals in a season: Ralph Hunt with 31 - 1955/56 - D3 South (old).

•  Most League appearances: Ron Ashman with 592 from 1947 to 1964.

•  Biggest transfer fee received: £7.25 million for Dean Ashton from West Ham – Jan 2006.

•  Biggest transfer fee paid: £3.5 million for Robert Earnshaw to West Brom – Jan 2006.

On loan centre-half Darren Dennehy (left) makes his final appearance for the Gills at Carrow Road having completed the maximum 93 days of his emergency loan deal. He will return to parent club, Cardiff City next week.

Skipper Barry Fuller misses out as he undergoes surgery to a broken nose, so boss Mark Stimson will choose between Jack Payne and Stuart Lewis for the vacant right-back role.

Josh Gowling serves the second game of a two match suspension and fellow defenders Garry Richards and Simon King ruled out with ankle ligament injuries. Down to the bare bones, Stimson could have second year apprentice Connor Essam on the subs bench again.

Just when you thought things were on the up, Trevor Kettle gets the appointment to referee this game. He hails from Lincolnshire and is an Air Traffic Controller (probably wise not to mention volcanoes then?). He started refereeing in 1983 reaching the National List of assistant referees in 1998, was a Select Group assistant for a further four years until his promotion to the National List of Referees in 2003.

Major appointments as an assistant referee were FA Trophy and Football League Play Off Final in 2001, and Worthington Cup Final and Community Shield in 2002 4th Official at the League One Play Off Final in 2007.

Gills boss Mark Stimson (right) was delighted with last weekend’s 3-2 win over Leeds, but his eyes are on the bigger picture – staying in League One. With our relegation-rivals also picking up points last weekend, we stayed in the same position, just three points off the bottom four.

On Tuesday night Brentford's late winner against Tranmere kept them in the bottom four and coupled with our far superior goal difference that three-point gap might seem like four.

Our trip to promoted Norwich this Saturday is followed by a home clash with play-off outsiders Southampton,  before our final game away to Wycombe, who are fighting for their lives in the bottom four just behind Tranmere.

Stimson said: “Leeds was a big result, because we were playing against a big side, but it won’t be anywhere near as high as if we maintain our status in this division. That would be way way beyond anything I’ve achieved so far.”

“You go back afterwards and look on the television (for the results) and think ‘argh’ but it’s another game down towards that finishing line. We just need to maintain what we’ve been doing recently because, take the Millwall game out of it, we haven’t been too bad and that’s what we’ve got to do for the remainder of the season.”

“If we win our games then nothing will change and it will be a fantastic season. But let’s not forget who we are playing. We go to Norwich who have gone up and then face Southampton at home who, in the last 20 to 25 games, have been very close to Leeds and Norwich. It’s not going to be easy but the three points were nice on Saturday.”

Skipper Barry Fuller could (right) miss the rest of the season after picking up a broken nose in a collision with team mate Darren Dennehy last weekend, just minutes into the game against Leeds. He now needs surgery on this injury and it is added his broken arm he suffered in February which he still has to wear a light cast.

Stimson told the club's official website: “He's definitely out for Saturday. We'll find out this afternoon (Thursday) whether we have to have it done now or delay it. If he has it done now that could keep him out for the season so we'll have to wait and see. He'll be missed but last weekend we had to change it after a minute.”

“The boys that came in put a shift in and I'm sure whoever plays there will give everything they've got.”

Fuller said: “My breathing is the main thing they're worried about because my nose is flat on my face and if I'm running about there could be a problem with my airway if I get another knock. It's all down to what the surgeon says.”

“I can't remember the injury that clearly. I was going for the ball and the next thing I knew I was on all fours with my hand on my nose. The blood was coming out like a tap.”

“I had a terrific time up there for eight years and worked under probably the best Celtic manager since Jock Stein in Martin O’Neill. It’s a marvellous football club but my time is here and I absolutely love it at Norwich.  I came here when the club was hurting but we’ve taken it up and I’ll continue to do my best for this football club.”

With promotion guaranteed, Norwich need one more point to be mathematically certain of the title: “This is the first time in my career I’ve experienced promotion,” said Canaries centre back Gary Doherty. “At Tottenham we didn't get promotion and at Luton we didn't get promotion, so this is the first real title shot I've had.”

“We have to finish the job now. We have one hand on the trophy and it is all about getting those points and we have a great chance at home to Gillingham.”

“It was great to clinch promotion at Charlton because a few of us came here on the last day of last season and got relegated, so it is a great feeling to come here and clinch promotion and more or less have one hand on the trophy. It hit us hard really because it got us relegated, so it was nice to go back and clinch promotion with three games to go.”

Gills eleven from (4-4-2): Alan Julian (GK), Simon Royce (GK), John Nutter, 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, Rashid Yussuff, Rene Howe, Darren Dennehy, Adam Miller, Connor Essam.

Paul Lambert will have top scorer Grant Holt back after a two-match ban. Influential midfielder Wes Hoolahan is doubtful after missing the last four outings with a thigh injury, but is expected back before the end of the season.

Canaries eleven from (4-4-2): Fraser Forster (GK), Declan Rudd (GK), Adam Drury, Matthew Gill, Michael Nelson, Russell Martin, Owain Tudur Jones, Stephen Hughes, Grant Holt, Stephen Elliott, Gary Doherty, Wes Hoolahan, Michael Spillane, Chris Martin, Tom Adeyemi, Paul McVeigh, Simon Lappin, Darel Russell, Michael Rose, Anthony McNamee, Luke Daley, Cody McDonald, Sam Habergham, Danny Kelly, Korey Smith, Zak Whitbread, Oli Johnson, Jens Berthel Askou, George Francomb, Josh Dawkin.

To date this season, he has cautioned ninety-six and surprisingly sent off none in thirty-three games. His last game involving the Gills was our 1-0 FA Cup second round win over Burton last November, booking four. This will be his first visit to Carrow Road this sesaon, however he did take charge of the Canaries 2-0 home win over Cardiff last March in the Championship.

His assistants are Mr Wes Linden from Middlesex and Mr John Magill from Essex. Our fourth official is Mr Mike George from Norfolk.

(Referee information courtesy of www.refworld.com)