A four-game touchline ban won’t hinder the Gills, insists boss Steve Evans.

Evans was hit with the ban following an altercation with a referee while managing former club Peterborough.

It means he’ll have to watch Gillingham’s opening fixtures from the stands.

“It might make a difference to the fourth official on Saturday, his right ear will be all right!” joked the Scot.

“We started in record-breaking form at Posh last year and I started 70-80% of those games in the stand because I wanted to have a better look and to look objectively and that won’t change.

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“I will be up and down. It is not just the four games, it might be 12-14.”

The FA felt an initial one-match ban was ‘unduly lenient’ and it was decided to increase the ban to four matches.

He has already said he is prepared to change his behaviour on the touchline after several run-ins with officials and opposing managers.

He said: “I know I have to channel what I have got properly and that will happen.”

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