Stuart O'Keefe up against former team Ipswich Town; Midfielder made Gillingham captain following Kyle Dempsey's departure

Stuart O’Keefe will take great pride in leading Gillingham out as captain against his former team.

With Kyle Dempsey sold to Bolton on transfer deadline day new boss Neil Harris needed a replacement skipper and O’Keefe - already the vice captain - is the man.

The 30-year-old, speaking about the position, said: “It means a lot to me, it’s a bit more responsibility and I enjoy the role of helping people as much as I can. It is a privilege to lead the team whenever I am asked to.

“To lead a side out at Portman Road would be excellent, it would be amazing if I get to do that.”

Harris spoke about making O’Keefe captain, initially handing him the armband for Tuesday’s game against Crewe, saying: “I didn’t have time to give a huge amount of thought behind it but I went with Stuey because he has done it before and I know him.

“He has great experience, a man with huge dignity, integrity and pride and certainly for the rest of the season Stuart will be captain.”

O’Keefe never played professionally for Ipswich but was at the club between the ages of nine and 16.

He said: “It’s a club close to my heart, where my football started and my family still live that way.

“Ipswich is always a game with a little bit of an edge for personal reasons and I always look forward to going back to Portman Road. It is a nice stadium, a big crowd, a great place to play your football.

“It wasn't long ago that we got well beaten by them [losing 4-0 at Priestfield]. It wasn't a good day, we owe it to ourselves and the fans to go there and put in a proper shift and performance and give ourselves and the fans something to be proud about and something positive, to put it right after that last game against them.

“It is a positive challenge, a big stadium, a