Gillingham manager Mark Bonner looks ahead to a massive January –with a home game against Bromley coming up next

It’s a big month ahead for Gillingham as they look to get themselves back among the division’s leading sides.

The festive period wasn’t a productive one for Mark Bonner’s men as they dropped to 13th place in League 2 after back-to-back defeats at Colchester and Wimbledon.

While on the field they need some wins, off it they need to strengthen now that the January transfer window is open for new signings.

Gillingham host local rivals Bromley tonight (Thursday) and have ground to make up in the table.

Bonner said: “What we’ve got to make sure is that in the next three games we’ve got left, before we get to that 25-game point, I just want to be in the race.

“I want to get to the end of January when things have settled, and we know where the squad is, with 18 games to go going into February with a chance of chasing it with everybody else.

“It’s a massive month - a huge month for us. We’ll see who wants to come with us, who’s on the journey with us and who fancies the fight and fancies grinding it out and who can handle the criticism that we’re going to get, which is fine, and stick together and stick up for each other and deliver performances that give us a chance.”

Bonner’s men were booed off the pitch at Colchester following a lifeless 2-0 defeat on Boxing Day, but the team raised their levels at Wimbledon on Monday night where big decisions went against them.

However they also lacked a cutting edge up top in another defeat, losing 1-0.

The manager admits he couldn’t say he was pleased with a better performance after losing, but it was a much-needed improvement.

Bonner said: “It seems so rotten, doesn’t it? You can’t be happy losing the game. You can’t be happy going back-to-back and having your Christmas period look like