Saturday 10th October 2009 - Kick Off 15:00

Football League Division One

Venue: krbs Priestfield Stadium

Gills Recent Form - last 6 matches

Wycombe Recent League Form - last 6 matches

Our 4-1 defeat at Southampton has seen us drop from 9th to 17th in the table and still without a league win on our travels this season. Add to that we’ve conceded fourteen goals away from Priestfield in just five games. At home it’s a different matter with just one defeat, one draw and three wins, scoring eleven and conceding just two.

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For those that travelled to Southampton last weekend, it was great to see midfielder Stuart Lewis (right) joining the pre-match warm up as he closes in on a full recovery from ankle ligament damage sustained in pre-season.

Speaking to the local media earlier in the week, Lewis said: "I’m itching to get back out there and really kick on with my season. I feel like I’m nearly there. I got back into training on Thursday. I’ve been doing quite a lot of fitness work and swimming. Considering I’ve been out for a while I feel quite good. I’m just eager to get the shin pads back on, but that’s down to the manager and we’ll see what he’s got in store for me. Hopefully it will be sooner rather than later."

Lewis got his wish as he was named on the bench on Tuesday for the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy tie against Norwich, and had just under half an hour on the pitch, so at least a place on the bench for Saturday providing no reaction is on the cards?

The disappointment was evident in Mark Stimson’s face (pictured right) following the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy defeat to Norwich at Priestfield on Tuesday. His injury hit side had a total of six changes from last Saturday’s starting eleven at Southampton.

Although boss Mark Stimson was disappointed to miss out on a possible Wembley trip following the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy defeat to Norwich, he was pleased with some of the fringe players that came into side after making six enforced changes due to injuries and suspensions.

He said: “I’m very disappointed to be out of the competition because at the end of it there is the chance to play at Wembley and there are not many opportunities to do that, so we took the game seriously.”

“Some of the players who came in did well. There was a bit of passion and desire and that was what we asked from them. Unfortunately we didn’t get the result we wanted and we had to make a lot changes, like Norwich, through suspensions, illness and injuries. There were some positives to take out of it.”

Major news this week was Friday’s departure of manager Peter Taylor by mutual consent after their poor start to the season. Taylor achieved automatic promotion from League Two last season, but they are second from bottom in the table and have not won since 29 August. His assistant Junior Lewis, another former Gills man, has also left the club.

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Taylor said: "I'm not enjoying our results at the minute but I am enjoying the week in the lead up to the game and trying to improve us. I think slowly but surely we are improving.”

"The players and I have got to stay positive - it's a test but one I'm up for. If the players win a game the spirit will be lifted immediately. We've just got to keep that determination and togetherness within the squad.”

"The players have got to be honest with each other and we've got to be honest with them. Having said that, there is no point in the team being terrific in training because we also need them to be terrific on a match day. You can encourage all you like during the week but next Saturday against Gillingham is when I want to see a performance."

Young Portsmouth midfielder Marlon Pack has had his loan extended by Wycombe for another month after impressing boss Peter Taylor. The 18-year-old joined the Chairboys last month to get some valuable first-team experience.

He made his debut in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy early last month in a 2-2 draw with Northampton before losing the game on penalties. Since then he has featured in six matches, including every minute of their last five league games.

Manager: Richard Dobson (Record to date: P0 W0 D0 L0)

Nickname: The Chairboys

Colours: Home – Navy & Light Blue. Away – All Black.

Ground: Adams Park

Capacity: 10,000

Transfers in: Danny Spiller from Millwall – free, Stuart Beavon from Weymouth – signed, Stuart Green from Blackpool – free, Ian Westlake from Leeds – free, Michael Duberry from Reading – free, Chris Westwood from Peterborough – free, Joe Cobb from Leicester – free, Lewis Montrose from Wigan – free.

Loans in: Marlon Pack from Portsmouth, Kevin Betsy from Southend, Ashley Chambers from Leicester, Adam Smith from Spurs.

Transfers out: Danny Spiller to Dagenham & Redbridge – signed, Jamie Turley to Salisbury – free, Scott McGleish to Leyton Orient – free, David McCracken to MK Dons – signed, Will Antwi to Dagenham & Redbridge – free.

Loans out: Lewis Spence to Forest Green, George Daly to Hayes & Yeading..

Released: Nathan Ashton, Gary Holt.

We have met 17 times in total to date. Our first was back in the 1932/33 season when we drew 1-1 at Priestfield and won the replay 4-2 at Loakes Park in the FA Cup first round.

Our last meeting was in April this year in League Two action when we lost 0-1 at Adams Park, after a 1-1 draw in December at Priestfield. Curtis Weston got the goal.

The total record reads: Gills wins - 6, Wycombe wins - 4, draws - 7.

•Most capped player – Mark Rogers – 7 caps for Canada

•Best attendance: 9,002 v. West Ham 7/1/1995 – FA Cup R3

•Biggest league win: 5-0 v. Burnley – 1996/97 D2 (old)

•Most league appearances: Paul Hyde – 88 – 1993 to 1995

•Most goals in a season: Miguel de Souza - 18 – 1995/96 D3 (old)

•Biggest transfer fee received: £375,000 for Keith Scott from Swindon – Nov 1993

1. •      Biggest transfer fee paid: £200,000 for Sean Devine to Barnet 1999
   

2. •       & Darren Currie also to Barnet – 2001

Boss Mark Stimson has a sizeable injury list to worry about, although one or two are more or less ready to return to action. Centre back Garry Richards (broken toe), Mark McCammon (hamstring) and Stuart Lewis (ankle ligaments) all featured in Tuesday’s Johnstone's Paint Trophy defeat to Norwich.

Centre back Josh Gowling (right) should return to action though after serving a one match suspension. Top scorer Simeon Jackson (hamstring strain) returned to training on Thursday but the manager will make a late decision on his inclusion.

Winger Dennis Oli (virus) and full back Barry Fuller (shoulder) also returned to training on Thursday for the first time this week, while keeper Simon Royce (virus) train until Friday.

Defender Simon King is on crutches after last week's surgery on his ankle while midfielder Danny Jackman is waiting to find out if his dislocated shoulder requires surgery.

Gills eleven from (4-4-2): Simon Royce (GK), Alan Julian (GK), Barry Fuller, John Nutter, Josh Gowling, Garry Richards, Kevin Maher, Danny Jackman, Curtis Weston, Stuart Lewis, Adam Miller, Chris Palmer, Mark Bentley, Dennis Oli, Mark McCammon, Simeon Jackson, Jack Payne, Andy Barcham, Jacob Erskine, Luke Rooney, Tom Wynter, Connor Essam, Rashid Yussuff.

Head of youth development Richard Dobson, who takes caretaker charge of Wycombe this weekend, has two key players missing ahead of Saturday's match. Midfielder Tommy Doherty has missed the entire season to date with an ankle injury while fellow midfielder Matt Bloomfield is sidelined with a broken nose and fractured cheekbone. Also defender TJ Moncur has left the club and had his contract cancelled after making just six appearances since joining from Fulham last January.

Chairboys eleven from (4-4-2): Scott Shearer (GK), Jamie Young (GK), Lewis Hunt, Craig Woodman, Leon Johnson, Michael Duberry, Luke Oliver, Ian Westlake, Matt Harrold, Chris Zebroski, Stuart Green, Jon-Paul Pittman, Lewis Montrose, Matt Phillips, John Mousinho, Joe Cobb, Chris Westwood, Stuart Beavon, Dan Fitchett, Ashley Chambers, Marlon Pack, Kevin Betsy.

Our referee this Saturday is Mr Phil Crossley from Kent, who was a ‘late starter’ not picking up the whistle until he was 29. He made very rapid progress through the Suburban, Isthmian and Panel Leagues until his promotion to the National List of referees in 2002.

To date this term he has booked 37 with 2 red cards in ten games. He last took charge of a Gills game in August 2008 – the 0-1 defeat to Colchester in the Carling Cup at Priestfield – three were booked. For Wycombe fans it was only last April in their 1-1 draw match at Port Vale in League Two during which he booked five.

His assistants are Mr Glenn Hambling from Norfolk and Mr Philip Knight from Kent. Our fourth official is Mr Rob Whitton from Essex.