Steve Evans is looking to create some exciting times ahead for the Gills.

He comes to a club that in recent seasons have been fighting off the threat of relegation in League 1.

The challenge is to turn Gillingham into a team that can battle at the top end, on a similar budget to what the managers have had in recent seasons, and he’s confident he can do it.

Speaking to the press on Thursday, he said: “There is an opportunity here. The club has been at the wrong end of League 1 for a few consecutive seasons.

“We want to be heading into those four or five weeks towards the end of the season trying to be in that top six, not trying to be outside the bottom four.

“With the size of the club and the support base it’s a great opportunity. I have been here in the past, I know what it’s like, how passionate the fans are and we hope to give them some exciting times.”

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Previous managers have tried to wrestle the club clear of the bottom half but it’s proved a tough challenge.

Justin Edinburgh came close, before dropping away in the second half of a season where the Gills looked to be challenging, before club legends Ady Pennock and Steve Lovell both came and went.

“It is a challenge,” said the experienced Scottish manager.

“The chairman has been very clear that the resources are where they are last year, so myself and Paul Raynor (Evans’ assistant) will spend every penny as appropriately as we can to try and get better players in and that’s the business of Tom (Lawrence, the chief exec) and the chairman (Paul Scally).”

Mr Scally admitted he was unsure about Evans before they met properly but is now convinced he is the man to take the Gills forward.

“I have probably stressed him out because I have beaten him more times than he beat me,” Evans said.

“He did beat me to the League 2 title though, under Martin Allen, and I will never forget that game we lost here at Priestfield, the atmosphere inside the stadium was electric.

“I have seen the passion and drive and determination he has got and I have been lucky with the recent chairman I worked with. Darragh MacAnthony (the Peterborough chairman) is the same as the chairman here, they demand success and want it.”

Evans is no stranger to success, with plenty of promotions behind him, including a journey into the Championship with Rotherham a year after finishing second behind the Gills in League 2.

“Promotions are hard to get and every one of them has to be earned,” said the new manager.

“Myself and Paul (Raynor) work very hard in creating a team from the bottom to the top and it has to be as one, united. The Gillingham public have seen my teams come here and play.

“They’ve seen Peterborough this season and Rotherham before, they do come and play as a team and that is what we will create for Gillingham Football Club. I am sure we can improve on last year.”