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Preview: Manager Neil Harris looks ahead to Gillingham's trip to Swindon Town in League 2

Gillingham manager Neil Harris says they are riding the wave of positivity at the club.

It’s just over a month since Brad Galinson completed his takeover at Priestfield and the outlook is much brighter.

Neil Harris says Gillingham are in a mega place now
Neil Harris says Gillingham are in a mega place now

The Gills head to old rivals Swindon this Saturday buoyed by back-to-back league wins, two clean sheets and moving off the bottom of League 2. They've made eight signings during the January transfer window.

“We are in a mega place at the moment,” said the Gills boss.

“The fans have been singing the owner’s name, you can see a united board, a united chemistry between the board and the staff and the players and the fans. It is a great start.

“My message to everyone is ‘yes, we have won two in a row, we have scored four goals, no goals conceded and six points. It is a great start to the new era but it is just a start’.

“We have to continue those performances and continue to get better. I credit my players and I credit the football club.

“Credit Brad and (wife) Shannon coming into the football club, they have galvanised us all.”

Conor Masterson is back at Gillingham on loan from QPR and could come straight into the starting eleven
Conor Masterson is back at Gillingham on loan from QPR and could come straight into the starting eleven

The Gills had only won twice in the first half of the season. They’ve now doubled that tally, and they’re finally scoring goals with new players on board. Pulling clear of relegation trouble is looking like a good bet.

One over-excited fan has even put money on promotion.

But Harris cautioned: “Nobody is getting carried away in my changing room. We are not getting carried away, we are just riding with the wave at the moment and we have to do that on Saturday.

“When we talk about moving in the right direction and gaining momentum, just moving up a league position is key for us at the moment and the next challenge is to get out of those bottom two positions and keep improving.

“But I am not going to concentrate on the league table at the moment. My mind is about getting us ready for Swindon.

“I am fully aware of what [the game] means to us, as a football club and what it means to the fanbase.

“Last time we played them at home, we played with 10 men for 82 minutes and put in an unbelievable performance and we have to match that.”

The Gills had loanee Haji Mnoga sent off on his debut when the sides met at Priestfield in September, but managed to see out a goalless draw.

Haji Mnoga was sent off early in the game when Swindon played Gillingham at Priestfield in a goalless draw earlier this season
Haji Mnoga was sent off early in the game when Swindon played Gillingham at Priestfield in a goalless draw earlier this season

Managing Swindon that day was former Chatham Town boss Scott Lindsey, who has recently taken over at Crawley leaving the hotseat at The County Ground vacant.

"Swindon's philosophy is total football," he said. "They are pretty on the eye and have good players at the level and the level above. A completely different challenge to one we have faced in the last two."

With fresh faces in the side the Gills now have a goal threat and Harris is delighted to see his new-look team take shape so quickly. David Tutonda’s goal on Saturday at Colchester - his first for the club - was a sign of that growing confidence in players old and new.

Harris said: “The belief in the group is growing, that is the confidence that has come in from players, we know if the ball comes wide it’s going in the box.

“When you have Oli Hawkins and Tom Nichols in the box, defenders have to concentrate on them and other players have then got opportunities.

“We are a big, physical, forward-running Gillingham side and at the moment we look extremely difficult to play against and we have to keep improving.”

Gills picked up a couple of knocks last week and Harris said: "We had a couple of misdemeanours off the back of Saturday and we will have to see but we will be strong at the weekend."

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