Saturday 3rd April 2010 - Kick Off 15:00

Football League Division One

Venue: Boundary Park

Gills Recent League Form - last 6 matches

Oldham’s Recent League Form - last 6 matches

Gills boss Mark Stimson (left) has called for his players to remain fully focused ahead of the crucial Easter schedule and beyond in their League One survival battle.

They face two fellow strugglers over Easter, visiting Oldham this Saturday then host Southend at Priestfield on Easter Monday. Stimson told BBC Radio Kent: "If we can win both it will go a long way to ensuring our survival. It's vital we're patient and remain focused throughout."

After twice coming from behind to draw 2-2 against the MK Dons last Saturday the club still sit perilously close to the drop zone just two points ahead of Tranmere who are in 21st place. Stimson said of the MK Dons game: "We showed the character and commitment we'll need in our remaining fixtures. Dennis Oli was distraught at his sending-off because he's just hit a rich vein of form. I thought the decision was harsh."

Skipper Barry Fuller (right) could return over the Easter weekend, but boss Mark Stimson has suggested that the right-back berth could still remain with Stuart Lewis. He has performed well since replacing Fuller, who has been out with a broken arm with Stimson saying could have a role for Fuller elsewhere in the team.

The manager said: "Barry Fuller is chomping at the bit to get back involved and he should be back some time next weekend. Stuart has played well but Barry can play in other positions as well. He hasn’t played many other positions here, but he can so there might be another position for him to take up."

Fuller wants to play in the reserves game on Wednesday afternoon, but there is some reluctance on Stimson’s part to use him: "He is asking to play but I don’t think I’m going to risk him," said Stimson. "I know when he plays how he plays. Over next weekend we’re going to need him because we have two important games in three weeks.”

"He will join in training on Monday and the others better watch out because he hasn’t been able to kick anyone for the last three or four weeks. If someone has more than two touches they are probably going to get it! His fitness levels are fantastic and the kid has so much passion in his body it is frightening."

Another current injury victim is top scorer Simeon Jackson who missed last weekend’s match against the MK Dons and only played twenty minutes off the bench at Charlton the week before.

Mark Stimson is confident that Jackson will soon be back in action to help battle for survival.

He has hit 14 league goals this season, but picked up a hamstring injury against Stockport playing on an awful surface and further aggravated it against it in a twenty minute spell at the Valley.

Stimson said: "We have a lot of games coming up and we knew what the weather forecast was (last weekend). On a wet heavy pitch, it might have made it worse so we thought leave him out completely and hopefully this time next weekend he is back involved. The rest would have done him the world of good because he hasn't trained or done anything. This week I'm sure he will start slowly and build up towards the end of the week."

Mark Stimson has reveled that he will not risk centre-half Simon King (right) before the end of this season. Last season's Player of the Year is making slow progress as he rehabilitates from his torn ankle ligaments picked up during the club's pre-season friendly at Bromley in July.

Stimson said: "He is still doing a little work with the physio but it's a slow process and we need to keep his spirits up.”

"If any of you supporters see him around the place, give him a pat on the shoulder and tell him to keep his chin up because he is a guy who loves to play football and it's really frustrating for him at the moment. We haven't sat down with him and said 'you won't play' but, if you look at the bigger picture, it doesn't look like he'll play again this season. I say that, it's not definite, but I'll be amazed if he does.”

"He is nowhere near the fitness levels that you need to play so we would be pushing him and I don't think we want to do that. A couple of weeks ago he was really pushing himself to get that fitness but he has had a bit of a hiccup and had to stop for a few days.”

"So now we have to go back to the basics again and build it up really slowly. He's got to look at getting himself fit to start with the boys in pre-season now. It's been a nightmare for him becuase he's so committed and he's a big player for us."

Finally chairman Paul Scally believes that newly appointed vice-chairman Michael Anderson (both left) will be a great asset to the club’s hierarchy in what he describes as ‘treacherous times for football clubs’. Mr Anderson has been a director for some time but has been elevated to the vice-chairmanship.

"He has been a tremendous help in many areas of the business, sharing my views and ambitions for the future, and offering much support in terms of time and marketing initiatives," said Scally, in last Saturday’s programme notes.

"I have no doubt that in the fullness of time, his presence will be invaluable as we seek to steer the business through some of the most treacherous trading circumstances we have witnessed in modern times.”

"Indeed, football as an industry is experiencing great difficulties, although I’m still trying to get my head round quite how a club on the South Coast, earning £50-60 million or more a year can go into administration owing reportedly £80m of debt to creditors.”

"That takes some doing but it does rather highlight the somewhat fragile state of affairs within our game and must be a worry but also must serve as a warning to us all as we seek to improve our lot and push for greater glory. It serves as a rather pointless exercise to charge up the ladder, only to fall at the top and suffer serious damage."

Latics boss Dave Penney (right) conceded that his side are still fearful of relegation after they suffered a 3-2 home defeat to Brentford on Tuesday evening. Although they created plenty of chances and scored twice through Pawel Abbott, defeat means they are in a dangerous position just above the drop zone.

Penney said: "I was looking for us to push on after going in front but we sat back and did not seem to believe we could win. Brentford equalised and then we conceded two poor goals in the space of a few minutes. We had a real go after that but it was too late and we have to start winning games. It was a better performance and you cannot fault the players' effort but it's obvious we need points."

Manager: Dave Penney (Record to date: P39 W10 D10 L19)

Nickname: The Latics

Colours: Home – Blue with White trim. Away – Navy Blue & Orange, 3rd – Lime Green & Black.

Ground: Boundary Park

Capacity: 10,638

What will it be like for Gills fans at Boundary Park?

Gills fans will be in the Rochdale Road Stand at one end of the ground. This stand is split between a larger section on side, which holds 3,000 fans and a smaller section on the other side which holds 1,600 supporters. For most games away supporters will be given the smaller section.

A visiting fan commented: ‘I found Oldham to be particularly friendly. They have an unofficial motto that 'the only club we hate is Man United', everyone else is very welcome. The only complaint that I had about visiting the ground was that it always seems to be cold, with a biting wind that goes right through you. This is due to Oldham being on the edge of the Pennines.’

(Information courtesy of www.footballgroundguide.co.uk)

Transfers in: Hasney Aljofree from Swindon - Free, Joe Colbeck from Bradford – Signed, Przemyslaw Kazimierczak from Darlington – Free, Peter Gilbert from Sheff. Wed – Free, Darren Byfield from Doncaster – Free, Rene Steer from Arsenal – Free, Michael McKerr from Birmingham – Free, Joe Jacobson from Bristol Rovers – Free, Pawel Abbott from Darlington – Signed, Dean Brill from Luton – Free, Nick Blackman from Blackburn – Signed, Rob Purdie from Darlington – Free, Dean Furman from Rangers – Free.

Loans in: Lewis Guy from Doncaster, Daniel Nardiello from Blackpool, Darryl Flahavan from Crystal Palace, Krisztian Timar from Plymouth, Jim Goodwin from Huddersfield, Alex Marrow from Blackburn Rovers.

Transfers out: Chris O’Grady to Rochdale - Free, Peter Gilbert to Northampton – Signed, Jean-Paul Kalala to Yeovil – Free, Darren Byfield to Walsall – Free, Dale Stephens to Rochdale – Signed, Andy Liddell to Rotherham – Free, Neil Eardley to Blackpool – Signed, Mark Crossley to Chesterfield – Free, Stefan Stam to Yeovil – Signed, Kevin Maher to Gillingham – Free, Mark Allott to Tranmere – Free.

Loans out: Liam Dawson to Ashton United, Keigan Parker to Bury, Greg Fleming to Dunfermline, Lewis Alessandra to Chester

Released: Przemyslaw Kazimierczak, Josh Bell.

The two clubs have met 38 times in League and Cup action. The first was in the FA Cup first round in January 1922 when the Latics ran out 3-1 winners at Priestfield. We didn’t meet again until September 1958, when we lost 3-1 at Boundary Park, but gained revenge a fortnight later when we won 3-2 at Priestfield in the old Division Four.

Our last meeting was at Priestfield back in November when we won 1-0 thanks to a Curtis Weston penalty.

The total record reads: Gills wins - 16, Oldham wins - 18, draws - 4.

•  Oldham's most capped international is Gunnar Halle (51 caps for Norway).

•  Their best ever League win was 11-0 vs. Southport -26/12/1962 - D4 (old).

•  Best ever attendance: 47,671  vs. Sheff. Wed  - 25/1/1930 - FA Cup R4.

•  Most League goals in a season: Tom Davies with 33 -1936/37 - D3 North (old).

•  Most League appearances: Ian Wood with 525 from 1966 to 1980.

•  Biggest transfer fee received: £1.7million for Earl Barrett from Aston Villa - Feb 1992.

•  Biggest transfer fee paid: £750,000 for Ian Olney to Aston Villa - June 1992.

Leading scorer Simeon Jackson continues to struggle with a hamstring injury, but is expected to be involved at some point over Easter. Dennis Oli serves a one match ban after his sending-off in last weekend's 2-2 draw with MK Dons.

Defender Josh Gowling (hamstring) is returning to fitness but the weather denied him the opportunity of gaining match practice when the Reserves midweek fixture with Brentford was postponed.

Influential skipper Barry Fuller could return over the Easter weekend, just a month after breaking his arm in the home win over Huddersfield Town.

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

Latics boss Dave Penney will have to do without the services of midfielder Dean Furman who is suspended for the second of two games after picking up his tenth booking of the season in the recent home defeat to Brighton.

The only other absentee is midfielder Andy Holdsworth who has an ankle injury.

Latics eleven from (4-4-2): Dean Brill (GK), Darryl Flahavan (GK),Hasney Aljofree, Joe Jacobson, Andy Holdsworth, Reuben Hazell, Danny Whitaker, Deane Smalley, Pawel Abbott, Rob Purdie, Lewis Guy, Kelvin Lomax, Lewis Alessandra, Sean Gregan, Chris Taylor, Kieron Lee, Dale Stephens, Paul Black, Ryan Brooke, Josh Ollerenshaw, Chris Rowney, Alex Marrow (above left), Kirk Miller, Joe Colbeck, Djeny Bembo-Leta, Daniel Nardiello, Philip McGrath, Jim Goodwin, Michael McKerr, Tom Eaves.

Saturday’s referee is Mr Carl Boyeson from East Yorkshire. A central heating engineer by trade who started refereeing in the Hull Sunday League in 1992, then was promoted via the Northern League to the National List of assistant referees in 1996. He reached the National List of referees in 2002. His most notable games have been two semi finals of the FA Vase and was fourth official for the FA Youth Cup Final in 2000.

To date this season, he has cautioned fifty-two and sent off five in twenty-seven games. His last game involving the Gills was our 1-0 FA Cup third round defeat to Accrington Stanley in January this year, during which he booked just one … Mark Bentley. This will be his first visit to Boundary Park this sesaon, however he did take charge of the Latics 2-1 defeat at Hartlepool in January (he booked Sean Gregan in that game).

His assistants are Mr Ross Joyce from Cleveland and Mr Lee Metcalfe from Lancashire. Our fourth official is Mr Matthew Bristow from Manchester.

(Referee information courtesy of www.refworld.com)