Meet the opposition | Gillingham
As Swansea City get set to welcome Gillingham to the Swansea.com Stadium for their Carabao Cup first-round tie on Tuesday evening, we take a closer look at the Gills.
WHAT'S THEIR STORY?
Formed in 1893 as New Brompton, the Gills were last in the second tier from 2000, when Peter Taylor guided them to play-off success, they also reached the quarter-finals of the FA Cup that year after beating Bradford City and Sheffield Wednesday along the way.
Their five-year stay in the division ended in 2005 at the end of the season when the competition was first rebranded as the Championship.
They have been in League One or League Two ever since, spending three seasons in the latter between 2010 and 2013, when they finished top of the league under the guidance of Martin Allen.
In the 2021-22 season, Gillingham were relegated back to League Two and they finished 12th in the fourth tier last term.
They opened the new season with a 4-1 win over Carlisle at the weekend.
WHO'S THE BOSS?
Mark Bonner. The former Cambridge United manager joined the Gills in May 2024.
Bonner started his coaching career in the academies at Cambridge and Southend United in the early 2000s. He returned to The U's in 2011, working in a number of positions in the club's academy.
In January 2018, Bonner was named as first-team coach, working under manager Shaun Derry and assistant Joe Dunne.
He was promoted to head coach in March 2020, and his first full season as a manager was a successful one.
In September 2020, Bonner was named League Two Manager of the Month after an unbeaten start saw Cambridge United sit top of the league without conceding a goal and they went on to claim second-place finish and secure promotion.
The 38-year-old went on to lead Cambridge to a 1–0 away win at Premier League Newcastle United in the FA Cup third round in January 2022.
Bonner signed a new contract with the club in September 2023, but two months later he was sacked with the club sitting in 18th position, four points above the relegation zone.
WHO'S THE CAPTAIN?
Max Ehmer. The experienced defender started his career at Queens Park Rangers and his six years with Rs included loan periods with Yeovil Town, Preston North End, Stevenage, Carlisle United and Gillingham.
After playing 27 times in the league and scoring once during his time at Priestfield in 2014-15, the German signed for the Gills permanently in July 2015 - signing a three-year contract - and went on to captain the club.
In 2023 that deal was extended by a further two seasons and, on the final day of the 2023-24 season, he racked up an impressive 400th appearance for the club.
Only six other players in the history of the Gills have achieved that feat.
WHO ARE THE KEY MEN?
Conor Masterson
Following two loan spells at Priestfield, Masterson made his move to Kent permanent in the summer of 2023.
The former Liverpool and Queens Park Rangers man, who stands at 6ft, netted six goals in League Two last term.
He made 48 appearances in all competitions for the Gills during the 2023-24 season, and he was named the club’s Player of the Year at their end of season presentation dinner.
He has also featured for Swindon and Cambridge United, as well as representing the Republic or Ireland at under 17, under-19 and under-21 level.
Elliot Nevitt
The striker became Mark Bonner’s first signing as Gills boss in the summer of 2024.
The 27-year-old has worked his way into the professional game from non-league, playing for the likes of Everton Xaverians, Burscough and the City of Liverpool. While with the latter he scored a hat-trick at Wembley in the 2012 FA Vase Final.
Crewe signed the striker for an undisclosed fee in January of 2023 on an 18-month deal and, during his time at the Mornflake Stadium, the forward netted 18 times in 73 appearances.
He played in the Sky Bet League Two play-off final in May as Crewe lost 2-0 to Crawley at Wembley.
Timothée Dieng
French midfielder Timothée Dieng joined the Gills in January 2023. He played for his local clubs Grenoble and Brest B before moving to the UK in 2014, signing for Oldham Athletic.
Dieng had spells in League Two with Bradford and Southend United, and was named captain of the latter for the 2019-2020 campaign.
Joining Exeter City in July 2021, he was named as the Grecians' Player of the Season for 2021–22, four days before Exeter secured promotion to League One.
He was also named in the League Two Team of the Season that campaign.
Dieng made 32 league appearances for the Gills last season, netting five goals.