Gillingham face a battle to avoid relegation in League 2 this season but the ambition is to race towards the Championship

Gillingham are dreaming again under their new owner and there’s an ambitious five-year plan to propel the club back to the Championship.

The Gills dropped out of the second tier in 2005 and it’s been a downward spiral ever since. Brad Galinson’s recent takeover has given the club the capital to make dreams happen.

Chief operating officer Paul Fisher - who was brought in at the start of the season as co-chairman to assist former owner Paul Scally before playing a crucial role in completing a takeover - and while League 2 survival is the short-term aim, he sees no reason why they shouldn’t have an aspiration of moving back up the leagues.

He said: “We are starting to have conversations about longer term things we want to do at the club. Clearly, Brad and Shannon [Galinson] haven’t got involved to be investing in the club to be at the bottom of League 2.

“No.1 is ‘let’s get out of the position we are in at the moment’ and then I think we can develop a five-year plan really, over a five-year period there is no reason why this football club couldn’t get back into the Championship.

“The area could support a Championship club, no problem whatsoever, probably a Premier League club, but that’s a long way off. We probably have a five-year dream to get back into the Championship.”

The pedigree of signings during the January transfer window will give the Gills the chance to compete at the top end of League 2 next season. Five permanent deals have already been agreed and more players were in discussions with the club before the weekend.

Mr Galinson’s arrival as changed the whole outlook of the club.

“It's huge,” said their COO. “Absolutely huge. You only have to feel the passion people have got for Gillingham Football Club.