Gillingham chairman Paul Scally comments on the Steve Evans exit as part of his report to fans

Gillingham chairman Paul Scally has opened up about the “dark days” he experienced during the final months of Steve Evans’ tenure.

Evans was in the third year of his three year contract at the Gills, having successfully taken the club to 10th in the table in his first two campaigns, but it all went wrong during his last season as manager, ending in a parting of the ways in early January.

Evans has since taken on the management role at Stevenage while his successor at the Gills, Neil Harris, has moved to the club to within two games of surviving relegation in League 1.

Mr Scally has previously spoken of a “dark cloud” that had lifted when he decided Evans had to go but in a report to fans, published on the eve of their big game at Portsmouth, he went further.

He said: “Looking back, the big mistake I made was not based on appointing Steve Evans as our manager, but more so for not removing him three months before I did.

“I have beaten myself up many times over this, it haunts me at the damage and distress that decision caused to everyone working within the club, and to the very fabric of the club, the damage that decision has caused to me personally, to my health, to my family and friends. It was a monumental mistake.

“His conduct during that period (of the current campaign) took me personally to perhaps some of the darkest places I have ever experienced in my football life, if not entire life, they were difficult, distressing and painful times.

"I battled to keep attending games, to do the things I’ve done for 26 years, to keep believing we could keep the club going with reduced incomes and higher player costs due to situations outside of our control and it took every ounce of inner character, strength and help from those