GILLINGHAM and Port Vale have been left to their own devices in the battle for top spot but could all that be about to change?

With Port Vale stalling and Gillingham dropping vital points on home soil the door has been left ajar for others to join the party.

Rotherham look set to be the team best positioned to make a late charge with just a handful of weeks left between now and the season finale on April 27, but they are not alone.

The Millers are the form team, winning four of their last six, including a 4-0 win at Oxford on Tuesday night.

They could move to within a point of Port Vale if they win their game in hand over the long-time title challengers.

The last few weeks have been a massive disappointment for Vale, who have won just one of their last six, scoring just two goals in the process.

Even Tom Pope - with 27 goals so far - is struggling, as he hasn’t found the target in any of the last eight games. Is it any coincidence that his form has waned ever since the arrival of Lee Hughes.

If the results don’t turn quickly for Micky Adams’ side they may be finding themselves sucked into the play-off mix, as the likes of Exeter, Burton, Northampton and Cheltenham pull out all the stops for a late promotion push.

Cheltenham are unbeaten in six, with just one defeat in 12, but draws are slowing them down. A last minute win over Chesterfield in midweek leaves them in third but they have played more games than anyone else.

Nobody should take their eyes off Paul Tisdale’s Exeter side, who have quietly manoeuvred themselves into a good position. With four wins in five they are making up ground quick and could take over third spot with a win at Bristol Rovers on Wednesday night.

Exeter’s 3-0 win over Northampton on Saturday stopped another form team in their tracks. The Cobblers had been surging up the table before that heavy defeat.

Burton will be cursing themselves for losing so badly at Bristol Rovers, having won their previous four, netting 13 in the process.

Of the five teams below the Gills and Vale, in 30 games, there have been just three defeats between them, which highlights just what a concerted effort they are putting in.

The Gills’ form isn’t too shabby, with just one defeat in six, but any slip-ups and it seems that there are plenty of willing suitors to take over the mantle at the top.

THE recent arrival of new faces was the breath of fresh air the Gills needed.

Michael Richardson and Ryan Williams may not be recognised names but their enthusiasm can be infectious.

The same can be said of Steven Gregory and Anton Robinson - two players itching to show what they can do after barely kicking a ball for their parent clubs this season before arriving at Priestfield.

Those arrivals coincided with the departure of the likes of Danny Jackman, Ben Strevens and Ross Flitney.

Not long before that, the Gills said goodbye to Lewis Montrose.

There is no doubting that these are good players but when good players don’t get games they get frustrated.

Just as that enthusiasm can give the team a lift, players who aren’t playing regularly and are down in the dumps can set in motion a wave of negativity.

It’s nothing personal, it’s just football.

Everyone wants to play and at this level sitting on the bench for some just isn’t an option.

For someone like Strevens he had to get games. In the summer his contract at the Gills was at an end and it was doubtful it was going to be extended.

So rather than join the mass summer cull, he’s gone early to make sure he has some money coming in from football next season.

The same has happened to Jackman, now playing regularly for a Kidderminster side who are flying in the Conference.

We have all seen what a quality player Jackman is, but if he’s not getting games then he’s going to start getting itchy feet. Does the Gills manager want a player in the squad who is unsettled or one who is young, fresh and full of beans?

The recent player changes may not have just been based on skill alone. Footballers want to play football and any footballer with a passion for the game will be annoyed when he doesn’t play.

That is not to say it’s what happened in this case but boss Martin Allen did admit himself it would be better for these players to leave for first team football.

So it was no surprise to see Gills boss let some good senior players go, to be replaced by youngsters who aren’t at the stage of their careers when they can be making any kind of demands.

It makes life off the field more harmonious and gives the likes of Strevens and Jackman the chance to start enjoying their football again.

The extra bonus is that a lot of these youngsters will be on a lot less money and if things don’t work out after 28 days they can be sent packing without any fuss.

Allen may not be finished in the transfer market this season. There is speculation he could make a loan offer to Sheffield Wednesday for young forward Harry Grant.

More youth, more enthusiasm and more energy helps keep everyone on their toes. It’s a mix that blends perfectly with the experience heads like Adam Barrett and Deon Burton.

Gillingham's front-line strikers have taken much of the credit for the blistering start to the season but a run of three clean sheets is testament to the work done where it was needed most.

Wins over Bristol Rovers, Southend and Port Vale have been achieved without conceding and credit must go to the way Martin Allen and his team have set up the team to defend.

Key arrivals over the summer have helped, with the likes of experienced keeper Stuart Nelson and no-nonsense defender Adam Barrett joining the Gills. The presence of Crystal Palace loan-man David Wright has also given extra assurance at the back.

And Allen has also played it safe in games after going ahead early, by introducing more defence-minded players like Andy Frampton, to ensure there are no last-minute dramas.

The Gills head into Saturday's game against Rochdale with the best defensive record in the division (conceding just a goal every other game) - a stark contrast to last season where goals flew in at both ends on a regular basis.

Fans were certainly put through it, with games against Northampton (4-3), Wimbledon (3-4), Hereford (5-4), Crewe (3-4), Accrington (3-4) and Bournemouth (3-2). Enough drama to fill a ‘how not to defend’ manual many times over.

This season the Gills have only conceded more than one goal twice, and both in cup games, against Championship Middlesbrough (0-2) and League 1 Crawley - where an understrength Gills team lost 3-2.

Only for a brief spell, against Chesterfield, have the Gills been behind in any league game. Eight minutes to be precise.

Individual performances have gone up another level, with Matt Fish now looking much more at ease on the right and Joe Martin looking steady on the other flank. The transformation of Callum Davies from a bench-warmer to a solid League 2 defender has been a great bonus. Even if it has meant his mate Connor Essam has needed to go out on loan to get games.

And it hasn't just been individuals who have made an impact.

The Gills are organised well and defend as a unit. With Allen drumming the message home from the sidelines throughout games, that message is getting through. Runners are tracked, crosses are being blocked and headers are being won.

During this week's chat with Allen he made a point of noting the improvement of Lewis Montrose. The big midfielder was sent away with instructions to improve his heading and against Vale he constantly won the ball in the air on the edge of the box, time and again alleviating pressure on the defence.

Much of the day-to-day training is taken by assistant John Schofield and his input to what we're seeing on the pitch shouldn't be underestimated. The coaching team of Schofield, Carl Muggleton and Allen is certainly one that is helping to shape the Gills into a rigid, organised team when defending and a fluid, fast-paced and exciting one going forward.

It's a joy to watch at the moment but it's not through luck, or by out-scoring the opposition, that the Gills are sitting pretty at the top of League 2.

Those that witnessed Myles Weston’s opening performances for the Gills will be forgiven for getting a bit excited.

Not since the days of Matt Jarvis have the Gills had a winger to make full-backs quake in their boots.

He may not be Jarvis class, but Myles Arthur Euguene Wesley Weston – his full name according to Wikipedia - certainly proved too hot to handle for Wycombe in the opening periods of Tuesday night’s game and that pace is something that has been badly lacking at Gills in recent seasons.

On Tuesday they were able to use Weston as predatory attacker in the first half and then, when up against it with ten men, the Gills were able to feed him the ball and let him do what he liked as an outlet to give the rest of the team some much needed recovery time.

Gills, under Martin Allen, are set up with just three midfielders and someone sat infront of the Back four (Jack Payne on Tuesday). It means the full-backs are required to get forward as often as possible, which does tend to suggest a winger is not required.

But Weston has shown versatility already. His favoured position is on the left flank, where he made an impressive substitute showing at the weekend, but on Tuesday he went upfront with Danny Kedwell and appears to have been given license to roam.

He is fast and direct and it is just a shame his early run down the flank on Tuesday, where he jumped two sliding tackles and even got the home fans off their seats, wasn’t rewarded with a goal. A fine save denied him a really special moment.

But no doubt we will eventually see a run and finish, assuming Weston can maintain that quality, and there is no reason he can’t. He is young, he has dropped down a level and he just wants to play games and express himself. Allen seems set to give him that opportunity.

Consistency, like all lower division players, will be his biggest obstacle.

Another to have impressed since signing has been Charlie Allen. He will be facing doubters after being signed by his father but young Charlie is proving what a class player he is. And again, it is his pace from midfield which is unsettling opponents. He also has an eye for a pass, like the one he served up for Danny Kedwell to open the scoring on Saturday.

It is early days for both Weston and Allen but both, so far, have given the Gills so much more energy and certainly made them more entertaining to watch.

GILLINGHAM approach their first real pre-season test, at Dartford on Saturday, with a decision still looming as to who will captain the team.

This week, when asked, Gills boss Martin Allen insisted a decision on the captaincy under his management was not made.

Many will assume that the armband will once more be handed to Andy Frampton. He conducts himself with the utmost professionalism and certainly had the respect of the rest of the squad.

Frampton (pictured) has already worked under Allen at Brentford, where he helped the club to successive play-offs. But it’s no certainty that the new Gills boss will pick the experienced defender to lead the side out again this season.

When asked on Wednesday if he had made a decision on the new captain, replied with a stern "no". So who are the possible candidates.

Frampton is certainly one of them but do you go for experience and professionalism or pick out a lively personality like Charlie Lee - he is certainly likeable and has played at a good level before.

With such a young team there are few other real options. Danny Kedwell could do the job, as he clearly loves the club - having supporterd the Gills as a youngster - and will be looking to be a regular starter under the new manager.

There are few others to choose from so maybe Allen has got some other transfer targets in mind that could fit the bill. Or maybe if Barry Fuller comes back onboard he could get the nod.

No doubt it’s probably not one of Allen’s biggest dilemmas at the minute, as he searches high and low for new recruits, but these little things can make a difference.

The captain’s role at Gills in recent years has certainly caused a few stirs, with previous boss Mark Stimson taking the captaincy off Andrew Crofts before shipping him off to the Conference on loan.

Andy Hessenthaler made a similarly bold decision to take the armband away from Fuller and give it to Frampton.

Footballers are proud people and it will be interesting to see who Allen chooses to lead his team to what will hopefully be third time lucky as they challenge for promotion in League 2.

So who do you think should skipper the Gills this season? Or does it not even matter? Comment below. 

As Gillingham schoolboy Ryan Bertrand walked off the pitch at the Allianz Arena in the Champions League Final last month, a chant began to rise from the massed ranks of Chelsea fans to his right.

“One Ryan Bertrand, there’s only one Ryan Betrand.”

The Gills youth team product and Robert Napier pupil could probably hardly believe what he was hearing. From my vantage point high in the upper tier I did a slight double take as well.

Just a year ago he was kicking his heels in the Blues’ Reserve team having been out on loan to a number of Football League clubs to build up experience.

How things change.

What was remarkable about his performance against Bayern Munich is that he didn’t look out of place. It was his debut in the competition, and the pressure on him would’ve been immense.

He was an assured presence on the left flank, diligently helping left-back Ashley Cole shackle Bayern’s attacking triumvirate.

Many watching back here in Medway would have been intensely proud.

There are the teachers at Robert Napier, in Third Avenue, who first came across his talent as a fresh-faced schoolboy. 

Then there are those at Gillingham, where Bertrand spent four years before being spotted by Chelsea during an under-16s game at Chatham Town Football Club in 2005.

Seeing one of their own play so well in the biggest game in European club football is a great advertisement for the club.  "If you work hard, this is what you can achieve" will be the message being passed on to the current crop of Academy players.

There is also a financial interest for the club. The more games Bertrand plays for Chelsea, the more money they get. The final total could be more than half a million.

The initial compensation when he moved in 2005 was £125,000, and the club received £50,000 when Bertrand made his first team debut in April 2011.

Installments of £100,000 are due for every 10 appearances up to and including his 40th. The final in Munich was Bertrand’s 16th game for Chelsea.

Now we wait to see how far he can go. From what I've seen he has all the attributes to carve out a successful career.

Next season will be key. Interim manager Roberto Di Matteo had faith in Bertrand and gave him chances to shine, will the new manager do the same?

Bertrand is learning from one of the best in the business in the shape of Ashley Cole, and if things work out he could very well replace him as first choice for club and country.

Many in Medway will certainly be hoping he does.

Today could prove to be a significant day in the history of Gillingham Football Club.

This evening in Meeting Room Two at Gun Wharf, councillors on the planning committee will decide whether to grant outline permission to grand plans for Chatham Docks. The recommendation from officers is to give it the green light, albeit with a raft of conditions attached.

The blueprint includes flats, shops, hotels, conference facilities and university accommodation.

In essence, it will create a new quarter on the banks of the River Medway, linking up with the burgeoning developments of Victory Pier and Liberty Quays further down Pier Road.

Chairman Paul Scally claims the project would “almost certainly” spell the end of the club’s presence in Medway, as it's the best site for a new stadium. 

Plans to move from Priestfield have taken various guises over the last decade or so - including plans for a 20,000 capacity stadium at Temple Marshes in Strood, which was abandoned eight years ago.

Back then Mr Scally also claimed the club would have to move out of the Towns.

The only other alternative to Chatham Docks – land known as Mill Hill, off Yokosuka Way, Gillingham – would be unworkable. This is because it would need a supermarket to finance, and Peel’s plans for the docks include an Asda. 

Two so close together wouldn’t work, Mr Scally claims. 

He made the claims in a letter to all 55 of the Towns’ councillors in March, and since then we’ve been waiting to see what effect it would have on the progress of the Chatham Docks plans.

Just 19 people wrote to the council raising their concerns about its effect on the club, although Mr Scally disputes that figure.

The report for the proposal comprises the bulk of the agenda for tonight’s meeting, and anyone reading it is left in no doubt of the scale of the development. 

It addresses a number of the issues that have been raised by the Gills, and throws up a potential lifeline.

The report states "significant work" has been undertaken to see if a stadium could be built on Chatham Docks, but the idea hasn’t been taken any further because of "viability reasons".

But, two supermarkets could be workable, it argues, given the fact that the Asda wouldn’t cause problems for other proposed supermarkets or sites across the Towns identified as being suitable for supermarkets.

The council can’t turn down the Chatham Docks plan because there’s no development at Mill Hill to consider. 

The onus is on the club to force the issue, although there has been plenty of opposition locally to the Mill Hill plan, including from one of the landowners on the 40 acre site.

Critics also make the point that Gillingham can’t sell out their current stadium as it is, so why on earth do they need a new one?

The paltry attendances last season were not that surprising given the club was playing in League Two.

There will always be a hardcore of fans that go no matter what division the club is playing in, but some will be more fair weather. It’s the same at clubs across the country. If there’s discontent among the fans about performances on the pitch, some will stay away.

If the club was playing in the Championship attendances would go up, and you can argue this is almost like a chicken and egg situation. A new stadium could generate investment which would have the knock on effect of improving the club’s finances and therefore the money it has to spend on players.

Mr Scally would point to clubs like Brighton, Hull and Swansea, who have experienced an upturn in fortunes on the back of new stadia.

Regardless of the outcome of tonight’s meeting, there are a few more column inches yet to be written about this saga.

It’s your move Mr Scally.

Chris Whelpdale may yet to have convinced everyone since moving back to the Gills on a permanent deal but is it any coincidence his return to the side has coincided with the recent revival?

He may well admit himself that in the early stages of the season he failed to live up to the billing after becoming one of the more high-profile signings that boss Andy Hessenthaler made.

His whirlwind loan stint in the previous campaign saw him net three goals in four games before injury cut short his stay. Try as they might, the Gills were unable to bring him back until agreeing a fee with Peterborough in the summer.

Those blistering performances were in short supply at the start of the season but are we now starting to see the real Whelpdale?

A lot has been made of the influence that the youngsters have made to the Gills and that has been fully justified. Whelpdale himself may feel he should still be classed as a youngster. He has only just turned 25 which means he should still have his best years ahead of him.

In recent weeks he has been deployed in an advanced attacking position and he seems to be thriving on the chance to get involved at the top end. He has scored four goals in his last eight games, the kind of form that is better than leading scorer Danny Kedwell.

Whelpdale was dropped to the bench for the match against Wimbledon in January. The Gills lost 4-3. He failed to make the team for the game at Accrington, where the Gills again suffered a 4-3 defeat, and again missed out when the Gills suffered a third straight loss. This time going down 2-1 to Southend.

Hessenthaler recalled him for the trip to Port Vale, where the Gills boss also brought in youngsters Connor Essam and Jack Evans. Whelpdale was on target in what ended in another defeat but at least the performance was far better than in previous weeks.

Since then the Gills and Whelpdale haven’t looked back.

The former Posh man has started every game and is beginning to look like the player which led the Gills to digging deep and shelling out cash to bring him in from Peterborough. If Crawley boss Steve Evans' programme notes were to be believed, he was one of several players who turned him down for a more favourable deal with the Gills.

Gillingham need their best players performing at this stage of the season and Whelpdale appears to have answered Hessenthaler’s plea. At a time when the Gills couldn’t buy a win the Gills boss needed some of those summer signings to give him a bit of pay back. Whelpdale has certainly started to do that.

He is looking like a vital cog for the Gills and the last goal at Cheltenham showed what a class act he is. A neat interchange of passes with Jo Kuffour and Kedwell opened up their defence in the latter stages.

Up next are Crawley and Whelpdale will certainly be hoping for a better end to his last meeting against Evans’ side. He left the pitch with a nasty testical injury – one which gained worldwide exposure (thanks to Danny Spiller's twitter account) – following a challenge from David Hunt.

He will be looking to avenge that painful setback and in the form he is showing he could end up hurting Crawley where it really hurts.