The last time The Imps hosted tonight’s opponents Gillingham at Sincil Bank was on Saturday 22nd February 2020, in front of a crowd of 8,950, including 682 Gillingham supporters. This match finished 0-0, with The Imps finishing the match with 10 men, with Tayo Edun receiving a second yellow card in the 90th minute following a coming together with Brandon Hanlan, who was also booked.
Ahead of tonight’s match, we have done a Q&A with two Gillingham supporters, so thank you to Justin and “donut” from GillsConnect for answering our questions. The answers have been published on two pages. To get to the second set of answers, press “Click here for the second set of answers!” at the bottom right of the page, or click HERE.
If you would like to get involved with the conversation on 100% Imps, you can join our Lincoln City v Gillingham Match Thread! We have also published a Lincoln City v Gillingham Quiz, which can be found at the bottom of the page. Every page view helps raise money for Lincoln City Football Club!
First up, the answers provided by Justin:
How long have you supported Gillingham?
I have been a Gills supported since 1995. A great year to start supporting the club since we almost went out of existence. My dad was always a Gills supporter and I wanted to follow my dad.
Where did you finish last season?
A strange year for all football saw us finish 10th, which was, to be fair a pretty good place for us.
What do you think of your manager?
Hmmm, Mr Evans. Well, he is a character that’s for sure. Personally, I don’t have an issue with him, I know he has a ‘Not so great background’ but to be fair he seems to have been fairly respectable since being at the Club. As for some of his tactics and transfers, well they have been indifferent.
What are your hopes and expectations for the 2020/21 season?
To actually finish the season haha. But seriously if we can get a couple more players in, play the ball along the ground and play players in their strongest position, I think we can beat last season’s position. Are we good enough to reach the playoffs? Probably not, but never say never, there is always hope!!
One(s) to watch?
Jordan Graham, he has been the difference in an indifferent season so far. Also, Olly Lee can be a handful on his day. O’Keefe returning and the new lad Slattery also looks good.
Which teams you think will finish in the top six in League One?
Hull, Portsmouth, Charlton, Ipswich, Sunderland & one of either Doncaster, Peterborough, or Gillingham. I think Lincoln will have a downturn of results and they will just slip out of the playoffs.
Which teams do you think will finish in the bottom four in League One?
Another difficult one, but my thoughts are Burton, Swindon, Wimbledon & possibly Rochdale.
What are your thoughts on Lincoln City?
What a season Lincoln have had so far. Just shows what a bit of passion, some good players & Management can do. Unfortunately for Lincoln, I think they may just end up slipping out of the playoffs come the end of the season.
What do you think the score will be?
I will have to go for a draw, Gillingham are too inconsistent but I think both teams will put in a great performance and share the points. I’ll go 2-2.
Random fact about your Club?
Although the clubs kit is known for being Blue, originally the Kit was Black & White stripes
If you could steal one Lincoln City player for your own team, who would it be and why?
Jorge Grant, he can not only find the net, but he is also known for his assists, something that we sometimes lack in, on a consistent basis.
What are your proudest and most embarrassing moments as a Gillingham supporter?
I’m always proud of my club, although sometimes the frustration outweighs everything else. But probably the playoff finals against Wigan as my proudest moment. The most embarrassing moment that comes to mind at the moment is the loss to Brackley Town in the FA cup (Twice).
Who would you say is your most underrated player?
Not sure about the more underrated player, however the player I think doesn’t get the credit that he deserves is probably Jack Bonham. He has saved us on numerous occasions.
Do you have a Supporters Trust and what role do they play at the Club?
The Gillingham Independent Supporters Club. Normally (Pre COVID-19) The group meet every 2 weeks to discuss all things like improvements to the supports club and ways to raise funds for the football club.
Members get discounts on numerous things like away travel, SISC and Gills related products. Also, members get free entry to the Royal British Legion Club before and after home matches. There is a quarterly newsletter delivered to your address and also the chance to vote for the player of the year award.
Which was your favourite match involving Gillingham?
17th August 1996, Gillingham V Bristol City. We won 3-2 and it was my first match with my dad.
Which was your least favourite match involving Gillingham?
8th May 2005, Gillingham away to Nottingham Forest. We drew 2-2 but that wasn’t enough for us to avoid relegation from the Championship.
Do you have a Former Players Association at Gillingham?
Not that I know of, If not then maybe it’s something that the club could look at for the future, we have had some great players at our club.
What is the best thing about Gillingham?
Oooh, something great about Gillingham as a Town?? The Royal Engineers Museum. The museum tells the story of the Royal Engineers and how, over 300 years, they have helped the British Army.
Do the benefits of having Steve Evans as manager outweigh the opprobrium that comes with being associated with one of the most widely reviled men in football?
Steve Evans is an anomaly. Many fans were happy to get him as manager due to his knowledge and time in football, while others (mainly because of his background) refuse to return to Priestfield until he has gone. He has certainly split the fans and I think the only thing to reunite the fans, other than him leaving, would be a proper promotion push.
What are your thoughts on John Akinde?
Now Mr Akinde, what can I say that hasn’t already been said about him? He certainly has the skills to succeed at this level and being one of the top earners at the club, you would have thought he would get more game time and have contributed to the club more. HOWEVER, like certain other high earners who have come to the club, he can come across as very lazy. He is inconsistent, gives the ball away too easily and seems to forget that he actually needs to run. If he would put the effort in and get some consistency to his game, he could be a nightmare for the opposition. Will we ever see what he is actually capable of? I doubt it which is such a shame.
Have a go at our Lincoln City v Gillingham Quiz below:
The second set of answers:https://t.co/zZci3J6vWB#ImpsAsOne #ProudToBeImps #Gills pic.twitter.com/bFRvGt5wxS
— Vital Lincoln City (@VitalLincoln) January 19, 2021
