Gillingham’s new head coach Stephen Clemence meets the press for the first time ahead of FA Cup match against Hereford

New boss Stephen Clemence was itching to get started at Gillingham and there was no way he was going to ease his way in.

Clemence took his first training session on Thursday at Star Meadow in Gillingham, aided by his assistant Robbie Stockdale and former interim manager Keith Millen.

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There was a suggestion that Millen could have taken charge on Saturday for the FA Cup game at Hereford.

But, speaking at his first Gills press conference on Thursday afternoon, Clemence said: “It would have been like I was ducking the game, I want to get out there, be with the players, get in that dugout and hopefully I can help them.

“Training was great, it is what I had been looking forward to the most. It seems like it has been a long process to actually do that, it has been a hectic couple of weeks but I am delighted to be here.

“I love being on the grass, Robbie is the same who I brought in with me, I thought we had a good session. I can already feel it in my voice because I haven’t been shouting for a year or so.

“We had to train at another site (because of the weather) but we found somewhere local, they were good to put us up, we had a good session,

“I have watched a lot of them already and I have seen pretty much all of the games this season. I can see they are a good group, you need to see them in the flesh, close up, I probably won’t really know until I get into the dugout and I see them on a matchday.

“I have seen lots of good players on the training ground but it is replicating that on a matchday under that pressure.

“They have been very open to what we have put to them, I could see there was a buzz on the training ground, which you would expect when there are new coaches