Gillingham head into final pre-season phase with local derby at Chatham
Gillingham will close this stage of their pre-season preparations with a packed weekend of fixtures that begins with a short trip across the borough to face Chatham Town. The friendly, billed as a Medway derby, kicks off at 7.45pm on Friday and marks another chapter in a renewed emphasis on local rivalry and community ties ahead of the competitive season.
Manager Gareth Ainsworth described the fixture as an opportunity to celebrate the connectivity between clubs in the area while continuing to sharpen his squad. In comments released ahead of the match, he praised Chatham’s progress and underlined the convivial, competitive nature of encounters between neighbours.
“Chatham is always a great game… The communities are great. There’s a bit of rivalry, but in a friendly way,” said Ainsworth.
The weekend schedule is compact. After the Chatham fixture, the Gills travel on Saturday for a behind-closed-doors meeting with Brentford B, a common practice in pre-season intended to give coaches a controlled environment to assess players and trial tactics without the pressures of a public crowd. Ainsworth admitted that coaches prefer the competitive window of the season but welcomed the chance to bring the squad closer to match fitness.
- Friday: Chatham Town (home, 7.45pm) — tickets: adults £8, concessions £5, under-12s £2.
- Saturday: Brentford B (away, behind closed doors).
- Next Friday: another behind-closed-doors fixture for Gillingham; the same evening the club will also face Ebbsfleet United in a separate warm-up tie.
- Carabao Cup: the pre-season programme concludes with a home tie against Luton Town in the Carabao Cup.
Ticket prices for the Chatham match are modest, reflecting the informal nature of the fixture and the clubs’ desire to attract local supporters. The weekend is likely to be used to finalise match fitness, assess new signings and give opportunities to fringe players to stake a claim for places when the competitive schedule begins.
| Fixture | Date/Format | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Chatham Town | Friday, 7.45pm | Local derby; public attendance (ticketed) |
| Brentford B | Saturday, behind closed doors | Coach assessment; controlled environment |
| Ebbsfleet United | Next Friday | Warm-up fixture; same day as another behind-closed-doors game |
| Luton Town | Carabao Cup (date TBC) | First competitive match following pre-season |
There is also potential subplot for supporters in the form of player movements. Chatham's former forward Sam Sene-Richardson has joined Brentford B and could face his old club as part of Saturday’s match, adding a familiar storyline to the weekend's fixtures.
For Medway residents the fixtures are more than warm-up games: they are a reminder of the footballing network that stitches the area together, from grassroots clubs like Chatham through to League-level football at Priestfield. Local derbies often bring a heightened atmosphere and an opportunity for younger supporters to experience matchday routines at a low cost.
Ainsworth was candid about the coaching perspective, acknowledging that while pre-season is necessary, everyone is eager for the league campaign to begin. “It’s come around very quick,” he said, signalling a desire to move from preparation to performance. For commuters, weekend travel around the borough could be slightly busier than usual as supporters make their way to the stadium — a small-scale reminder that summer is giving way to the realities of the football calendar.
Fans planning to attend the Chatham match should note the ticket prices and arrive early; for those who cannot, behind-closed-doors fixtures will limit opportunities to watch the side in person until competitive matches commence.
