Gillingham supporters react to the appointment of former Tottenham, Birmingham and Leicester midfielder Stephen Clemence as their new head coach to replace Neil Harris

Gillingham fans have been giving their reaction to the appointment of new head coach Stephen Clemence.

It’s the first ‘managerial’ appointment of the Brad Galinson-era, the American owner deciding that the club’s structure is better suited to a head coach role given the wealth of experience already in the building.

So what do the fans make of the new man – and what are their hopes for the remainder of the season?

We asked Matthew Olsen, Derek Gallagher, Bill Anderson, Mark Carbutt, Jo-anne Edwards and Alex Pooley from the Gillingham Supporters' Club for their verdict.

What do you think of the appointment of Stephen Clemence as the new head coach?

Matthew: I think this is an exciting appointment for the Gills. He has had an excellent career as a coach, he is highly-rated by many current Premier League players such as Jack Grealish.

Derek: On one hand I was surprised as you could say he was not an obvious choice to the regular fanbase. On the other hand, I am rather excited about this appointment. There is clearly more to this selection than meets the eye. I think Brad Galinson and his advisers have been very thorough in their search and process to get their man. I think he has much to offer given his CV. And he must have shone at both interviews to outclass the 20 or so other candidates. I have only seen positive views from fans and general all-round excitement about the appointment of Stephen Clemence on social media.

Bill: I believe it’s an excellent appointment for the Gills and one that fans should be very excited about. Stephen is very well known in football circles and has received some excellent guidance in his roles alongside some big established football managers. This should see him hit the ground running,