Saturday 17 April 2010 - Kick Off 15.00

Football League Division One

Venue: Priestfield Stadium

Gills Recent League Form - last 6 matches

Leeds Recent League Form - last 6 matches

Gills boss Mark Stimson firmly believes his side are good enough to beat the drop, if they maintain their strong home form. Still without an away win on their travels, Gills sit three points and one place above the relegation zone with just four games left.

Following a 1-1 draw last Tuesday at home to Brighton, the position is now looking a little precarious with promotion chasing Leeds the visitors this Saturday. After that game we have to face leaders Norwich away, Southampton at home on May 1st and finally strugglers Wycombe away on the final Saturday of the season.

"We've got to take responsibility and perform in front of our home fans like we have," said Stimson (left).

"If we do that then I think we'll have enough to stay up. I'm not nervy. I knew it was going to be like this at the beginning of the season because we don't carry the biggest of squads or finances. Once we picked up injuries, what with Simon King missing, it's always going to be difficult.”

He added: "I don't like being there. But we've got to get on with it, forget about what’s happened before and look forward. It's in our hands isn't it?"

Following Tuesday’s game Stimson said: “It was a rollercoaster, it was a ride, had everything didn’t it. Twists, turns, shots, chances, missed chances, woodwork hit, penalty saved, someone sent off. So no it was a lot to take on but at the end I said to the boys’ full credit to them, showed a lot of heart and a lot of spirit.

“First half I didn’t think we deserved to be 1-0 down, they got a good goal from a corner but apart from that didn’t really threaten us and we had a couple of good balls across the box but couldn’t get on the end of them.”

After the interval he thought his side responded well: “Full credit to the boys they came out second half and it was a proper test. I’m not totally happy because I want three and if we’d got the three points it would have been fantastic. But you have to look at what went into the game. Garry Richards unfortunately picked up an injury at the weekend that has ruled him out for the rest of the season.”

“I think at the end of the night we’ve got to say it was a point gained. We’ll have to see who’s fit and available for Saturday to take that centre role position up.”

Stimson has told defender Josh Gowling (left) to ‘sort out his discipline problems’, following his second red card of the season. He has also accumulated ten cautions, not including the two that led to his previous red card against Boxing Day against Brentford.

Tuesday night was centre back Gowling’s first start since February, but now has to serve a two-match ban which causes Stimson a selection headache with Simon King out all season and Garry Richards (broken toe/ankle ligaments) missing the last remaining games.

"It was his chance to step back in and we needed someone like him," said Stimson. "He is a good athlete, with good mobility and he can head the ball well. I wouldn’t call him an over-aggressive centre-half and it would be different if he was like Garry Richards. His discipline is a concern and something he has to improve on otherwise it’s going to cost us dearly."

Leeds boss Simon Grayson (right) has called for patience after top scorer Jermaine Beckford responded with a gesture towards a group of fans who had barracked him during the first half of their game against Southend on Saturday. Beckford received comments from a section of the home crowd and responded angrily and was subsequently replaced by Luciano Becchio.

"The fans pay their money so they can chant things but they can only help players by getting behind them,” said Grayson. “Jermaine hasn't got a problem with it and nor have I. Strikers thrive on confidence and after going a few games without scoring maybe Jermaine's confidence is dwindling.”

"I heard a few fans having a go at him and then some backed him. Luciano wasn't 100 per cent fit to play but we had to change the system and the personnel and it worked. I said the other day that I am not afraid to take my captain off or my leading scorer or a young kid if those decisions benefit the team."

Beckford has fired 27 goals this season, but has not scored in his last five matches. His replacement, Becchio, and fellow striker Max Gradel then scored a goal apiece to give Leeds a 2-0 victory. On that basis, Grayson could be tempted to rest Beckford.

Off the field Chairman Ken Bates (left) angrily denied reports of a reported Australian takeover bid for the club.  The Sydney Morning Herald has carried stories suggesting that billionaire Frank Lowy was considering a bid for the club. 

It was said that he had instructed an agent in Leeds to carry out due diligence, but that could only happen with the full agreement of the club.

80-year-old Lowy is estimated to be worth six billion Australian dollars and is chairman of the Football Federation of Australia. He has plans to try and bring the World Cup to Australia in 2018 or 2022 and believes owning a major British club could enhance his credibility and give him useful contacts.

I don’t suppose he fancies a smaller club based in the south east of England?

Manager: Simon Grayson (Record to date: P83 W48 D18 L17)

Nickname: Whites

Colours: Home – White with Yellow & Blue trim. Away – Yellow & Blue.

Ground: Elland Road

Capacity: 40,204

Transfers in: Max Gradel from Leicester – signed, Leigh Bromby from Sheffield United – signed, Shane Higgs from Cheltenham – free, Jason Crowe from Northampton – free.

Loans in: Sanchez Watt from Arsenal, Neil Collins from Preston, Shane Lowry from Aston Villa, Gary McSheffrey from Birmingham, Michael Doyle from Coventry.

Transfers out: Paul Huntingdon to Stockport – free, David Prutton to Colchester – free, Oliver Hotchkiss to Mansfield – free, Enoch Showunmi to Falkirk – transfer, Fabien Delph to Aston Villa – signed, Ian Westlake to Wycombe – free, Jonathan Douglas to Swindon – free, Frazer Richardson to Charlton – free, Peter Sweeney to Grimsby – free, David Lucas to Swindon – free.

Loans out: Andy Robinson to Tranmere, Josh Falkingham to St. Johnson, Davide Somma to Lincoln, Alan Sheehan to Swindon, Tom Elliott to Bury, Tom Lees to Accrington.

Released: Alan Martin.

We have met nine times in total to date. Our first was back in 1984 we met in the League Cup over two legs, losing 3-2 at Elland Road, and 2-1 at Priestfield. Leeds were in the old Division Two at that time.

Our last meeting was at Elland Road in September last year when we lost 4-1 … not a good day.

The total record reads: Gills wins - 1, Leeds wins - 5, draws - 3.

•  Leeds most capped international is Lucas Radabe (58 caps for South Africa).

•  Their best ever League win was 8-0 vs. Leicester City – 7/4/1934 – D1 (old).

•  Best ever attendance: 57,892 vs. Sunderland – 24/2/1991 - FA Cup R5.

•  Most League goals in a season: John Charles with 42 -1953/54 – D2 (old).

•  Most League appearances: Jack Charlton with 629 from 1953 to 1973.

•  Biggest transfer fee received: £30 million for Rio Ferdinand from Man Utd – July 2002.

•  Biggest transfer fee paid: £18 million for Rio Ferdinand to West Ham – Nov 2000.

Mark Stimson has a defensive headache with centre-backs Garry Richards (ankle and broken toe), Simon King (ankle ligaments) and Josh Gowling (suspended) unavailable for this game, while on loan Darren Dennehy is hoping to overcome a back injury that forced his substitution at half time on Tuesday.

Currently it looks like our centre back pairing will be midfielder (and centre back stand in) Mark Bentley and youngster Tom Wynter.

Top scorer Simeon Jackson (pictured right) should return to the starting line-up after playing an impressive thirty minute spell against Brighton, but Stimson may opt to keep the lively partnership of Rene Howe and Dennis Oli at the start, even though they have only scored four goals between them.

Gills eleven from (4-4-2): Alan Julian (GK), Simon Royce (GK), Barry Fuller, John Nutter, Kevin Maher, Curtis Weston, Stuart Lewis, Chris Palmer, Danny Jackman, Mark Bentley, Dennis Oli, Simeon Jackson, Chris Dickson, James Walker, Andy Barcham, Jack Payne, Tom Wynter, Rashid Yussuff, Rene Howe, Darren Dennehy, Adam Miller.

Leeds boss Simon Grayson is without midfielder Bradley Johnson who is suspended after collecting his tenth booking of the season last Saturday against Southend.

Right-back Jason Crowe is unavailable following surgery to a knee injury while defender Patrick Kisnorbo is out with a ruptured Achilles.

Leeds eleven from (4-4-2): Casper Ankergen (GK), Shane Higgs (GK), Alan Martin (GK), Michael Doyle, Rui Marques, Richard Naylor, Paul Dickov, Neil Kilkenny, Jermaine Beckford, Luciano Becchio (pictured right), Mike Grella, Jonny Howson, Gary McSheffrey, Lubomir Michalik, Ben Parker, Tresor Kandol, Shane Lowry, Andy Hughes, Robert Snodgrass, Sanchez Watt, Leigh Bromby, Max Gradel, Aidan White, Neill Collins.

To date this campaign, he has cautioned 113 and sent off five in thirty-four games. His last game involving the Gills was our 1-0 League One defeat at Brighton in August 2006, during which he booked two, including one Kelvin Jack for us. He was at Elland Road last September when Leeds lost 1-0 to Liverpool in the Carling Cup.

His assistants are Mr Nick Kinseley from Essex and Mr Andy Newbold from Leicestershire. Our fourth official is Mr Steve Tanner from Avon.

(Referee information courtesy of www.refworld.com)

Saturday’s referee is Mr Alan Wiley (left) from Staffordshire. He became a Select Group Referee in 1999. He is the only Referee to be appointed for the two domestic cup finals in the same year – Carling Cup Final between Manchester United and Wigan and the FA Cup Final between West Ham United and Liverpool in 2006.

I suppose we should be honoured as this will be his first game this season outside the Premiership and the Championship.