Gillingham defender Cheye Alexander on their opening-day League 2 trip to Stockport County and ending pre-season with a 1-0 win over Dagenham & Redbridge

It will be about us, insists Gillingham defender Cheye Alexander ahead of their opening-day League 2 match at Stockport County.

It’s a tough start for the Gills as they visit one of the promotion favourites this Saturday.

Having lost in the play-off Final last term to Carlisle on penalties, County have signed ex-Salford skipper Ibou Touray, former Manchester United and Stoke player Nick Powell and fellow forward Louie Barry on loan from Aston Villa, as they aim to go one better this time around.

Alexander said: “Every game in League 2 is hard.

“We’ve just got to go into it knowing, if we do our jobs, we’ll come out on top and take the three points.

“But the main thing is for us to turn up and do ‘us’. That’s all we need to worry about.”

Hollywood-backed Wrexham will also play in the fourth tier this term after their title triumph.

Asked if this was the most competitive League 2 he could remember, Alexander replied: “Probably, yeah. It’s going to be a great season.

“I think everyone is excited for it and we cannot wait to get going. Pre-season is finished now, we have a massive game on Saturday - and another 45 after that.”

There is also a buzz around the Medway club at the moment, too, ahead of their first full campaign under chairman Brad Galinson.

He took the club out to Italy earlier in the month to take on Como - in a game they won 1-0 - before the first-team side finished their run of warm-up fixtures with a weekend away victory by the same scoreline against Dagenham & Redbridge.

“The fans we took to Italy just shows the direction that we’re going,” noted Alexander.

“For us players, we just want to produce on the pitch week-in, week-out, and keep the fans happy and keep the fans coming back.”

The Gills’ squad was