Steve Lovell's departure as Gillingham manager comes on the back of their worst home record since the club's Championship days.

Priestfield has been a happy hunting ground for visiting teams this season - with 11 sides leaving Kent with maximum points..

You have to go back to the 2003/04 season - when Andy Hessenthaler's men stayed up on goal difference on the final day - to find a campaign where Gills lost more games at Priestfield.

That season, Gills lost 12 matches at home, although they also actually won 10 times as well.

Gills won seven times at home this season when Lovell was in charge, which is two more than the previous campaign, but their return of 25 points so far is one less than they picked up at Priestfield in 2017/18.

In addition, the 34 goals Gillingham conceded this term is the most since that Championship campaign.

Gills are on course to collect more points away from home than at Priestfield for the second season running.

Ironically, Gills actually had respectable home records in both of their relegation campaigns from League 1 in 2009/10 and 2007/08 when they lost just three and five games respectively.

Gillingham's pitch was relaid in September after early-season problems at Priestfield.

At the time, Lovell said: “It’s fantastic news for us as coaching staff and our players that we will have a brilliant pitch to play on in the next couple of weeks. The type of football I like to play will be one that we will hopefully be able to produce at home, as well as away.”

It means that the home game against Blackpool was re-arranged for later in the campaign and Gills hosted their Checkatrade Trophy match against Tottenham at The Valley.

Ironically for Lovell, his last home game in charge of Gills was a 3-1 home win over Plymouth.

But it was defeat against the likes of Shrewsbury, Bristol Rovers and Walsall in recent months which left home supporters disgruntled.

Earlier this month, Gillingham launched a 'Pack Priestfield' campaign in a bid to boost season-ticket sales for next season, cutting prices across the board with the aim of selling 3,000 tickets.

• Steve Lovell - the highs and lows
• What next for the Gills?
• Gills sack Lovell