Gillingham boss Gareth Ainsworth is looking forward to the club making a statement to the rest of the division this weekend.

Priestfield will be near to capacity for the visit of Harrogate Town, with the Rainham End sold out, and all available tickets for the bottom section of the Town End also snapped up in the week.

Whatever the result on the day, Ainsworth sees it as a chance to showcase what the club, under his management, is about.

The Gills head into the match on a record-breaking 21-game unbeaten run, and Ainsworth said: “I don't want the boys thinking this is some sort of party, because if Harrogate think it's some sort of party, they'll come and try and spoil it. I certainly would.

“What I want it to be is a statement. I want this to be a statement to the league to say: ‘Gillingham are a decent football club’.

“You come here, you expect to see a bumper crowd and fans getting behind the home team. You come here and you have an identity to play against, and it’s tough to come and take something away from Priestfield. That's what I want Saturday to be about.

“The fans that have been behind me so far, they've really made a difference. When that Rainham End gets going, wow, it's something special. If we can get this showersealuk.com end going, I mean, wow, that's going to be phenomenal as well.

“Both ends, Gills fans trying to get the ball in the net. I'm hoping it works.”

The Gills have been selling £5 tickets in the Town End to encourage fans to the game, and it’s worked, but Ainsworth knows big crowds don’t always mean big performances.

“I know what usually happens in these games,” he said, smiling. “You get a big family day or something, and it's a damp squib.

“But we're looking forward to putting on a show for everyone and going, ‘Right, this is what we're about. Win, lose, or draw. This is what you get at Gillingham.

“We want the fans to be involved this season. Hopefully, it will open the eyes of some people who haven't come before.”

Ainsworth’s been in charge for 18 games and the Gills have scored in every one - which means they’re closing in on another record.

The club’s longest run for consecutive league goals is 20. Liverpool are the only team in the top four divisions with a better run in front of goal.

“We'll do our best,” said the Gills boss. “We do score. We have scored in every game for me, and that's been fantastic.

“We've got some real aggression and some real good front-foot thinking players.

“Garath McCleary is back [from suspension] and Seb Palmer-Houlden [made his debut last weekend]. There's some real firepower now in the squad, and I'm sure that the goals will keep coming. Fingers crossed we can keep scoring.

“I think that the days of not creating anything have gone. Scoring is a different matter but we're definitely creating more chances now, and that's something that I wanted to address when I came in.”

Ainsworth’s first game as Gills boss was away to Harrogate Town last season, with little time to prepare. His side picked up a point that day and still haven’t lost since the change of management.

He said: “I remember the first session on the Thursday clear as day. I think we signed on the Tuesday or the Wednesday, maybe, and my first day of training was crazy.

“I knew the boys names, but I couldn't put them to their faces. I'm getting all the names wrong and everything. It was mental.

“As a football manager in the first two weeks, you never call anyone by their name because you might get it wrong, unless you're Jonny Williams. He's the only one who stands out, really, isn't he?!

“It was a real intense time last season. We had Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday Tuesday, so many weeks running, and it was great.

“I said how I wanted to play and how I wanted us to finish the season. They all bought in and I haven't looked back since, and it's been really good.”