League Two side Gillingham have become the latest club on the look-out for a new manager after Andy Hessenthaler stepped down on Tuesday following a meeting with club chairman Paul Scally. The reason behind his departure is believed to be his failure to guide the Gills into the play-offs this season after they finished two points outside the top seven in eighth. The 46-year-old, who was in his second spell in charge, is now expected to take up a place on the board as a company director.
Hessenthaler made 365 appearances for Gillingham as a player, scoring 29 goals. Between June 2000 and November he was player-manager of the club, leading them to 11th in the old Division One, which remains their highest ever finish. From 2004 to 2006 he moved back to a playing-only role, before returning to the club as manager at the end of the 2009-10 season. Hessenthaler’s final match in charge was a 2-0 home win against Morecambe last Saturday.
Mark Robson has emerged as the early favourite to replace Hessenthaler in the Next Gillingham Manager betting market. Robson, who is currently coaching at Peterborough United, has previously worked as a first team coach at the Priestfield Stadium as well as a very brief spell as assistant manager under Hessenthaler in May 2010. Other managers in contention include Andy Scott, Nicky Forster, former Gills boss Peter Taylor and Lawrie Sanchez, with a host of others in the frame.
