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Gill: Proud of the Lads
Tuesday, 2nd Mar 2021 22:22

Caretaker-manager Matt Gill was proud of the Blues following their 2-1 victory at Accrington Stanley, his only game in charge with new boss Paul Cook watching from the stands.

“I thought the lads were great, I thought they really stuck together,” said Gill, who was assisted in the dugout with academy head of coaching and player development Bryan Klug.

“Obviously they made a little bit of a slow start, a little bit of a nervous start but really, really pleased with them that they stuck together and I’m chuffed for them that they got the three points they deserved.”

He added: “It’s never easy coming here, they’re always bang up for a physical battle and I think the lads coped with that well.

“Obviously we would have liked to have been a little bit better on the ball in the second half especially, been a little bit more controlling with our possession, but I think the lads, how they’ve handled the last 24 hours and beyond, they’ve done brilliantly and I’m just really pleased for them.

“I’m really proud of the lads for sticking at it. A really slow start, going 1-0 down away from home on a cold Tuesday night but they’ve really stuck together.

“James missed his penalty and we had a couple of other chances which perhaps could have gone in but they really stuck with it and they deserve all the credit tonight because they stuck to the task and carried out the performance we all wanted.”

Regarding the penalty incident which saw Seamus Conneely red-carded for felling Troy Parrott, Gill said he hadn’t seen it again but Accrington were livid with referee Bobby Madley.

“They were furious about the decision,” he said. “If you make a genuine attempt for the ball, you don’t get sent off.


“I’ve not watched it back but I think they watched it at half-time and they’re quite angry about the decision, but it’s something I can’t really impact or affect.”

Reflecting on the last few days with former manager Paul Lambert departing on Sunday, Gill added: “The players have shown that they’re really resilient. They prepared for the game properly, we obviously came up here yesterday. They’ve been really supportive of everything they’ve tried to do.

“I’ve had some brilliant support from Bryan, [general manager of football operations] Lee [O’Neill] and [goalkeeper-coach] Jimmy Walker and then obviously the new manager popped his head in today. I think the lads have gone about their work really professionally.”

Gill had praise for again impressive central defensive pairing Toto Nsiala and James Wilson, who scored his first goal for the Blues, the ninth of his senior career and his first since netted for Lincoln on October 2018.

“They have done and I think we’ve now got four centre-halves that can be called upon, and even Chambo when needed to fill in in there,” he continued.

“I think that all the lads deserve loads of credit for the way they perform, trained and supported each other, even those players that are not in the XI, they’ve supported each other through the last three or four weeks.”

Regarding departed boss Lambert, he said: “Obviously I’ll be forever grateful to Paul for bringing me to this club. I’ve had two and a bit years really enjoying working with him and it’s something I’ll forever be grateful for.

“I’ve 100 per cent concentrated on preparing the players for this game so I haven’t had much time to think, just really pleased for the players that they’ve won the game.”

He says to two talked on Monday: “I spoke to him yesterday. We’ve got loads of respect for each other and, like I said, I’ll be forever grateful that he brought me to this football club and he was just wishing me well for the game.”


New boss Cook spoke to the players this afternoon: “He came to the hotel and met me and Bryan initially and then the rest of the staff. And then ducked his head in before the game to meet the players quickly. I’m sure he’s very much looking forward to getting started.”

Gill, who had previously been in charge for one game as a caretaker at Tranmere in 2014, says Cook allowed him and Klug to run matters this evening.

“He pretty much left it to us, he said that we’d prepared the players, the game plan and the starting XI,” he said.

“He dipped his head in at half-time to give some words of encouragement and made one or two tweaks, which is obviously his prerogative being the manager.”

He says Cook, who was confirmed as boss at midday today, was delighted that the Blues had continued their recent good form.

“He’s just really pleased,” he said. “It just keeps that momentum going, three wins on the spin and he’s looking forward to working with the players, I’d imagine.”

Gill believes the Blues have got themselves into a position where they are in with a shout of being in the end-of-season shake-up. The sit seventh, two points off the play-offs with a game in hand on sixth-placed Doncaster.

“We have, what is it, 16 games to go?” he reflected. “We’ve given ourselves a fighting chance of being where we want to be. The lads need to continue doing what they’ve been doing for the last few weeks, and I’m sure they will.”

Regarding his own position, Gill confirmed he would be remaining with the Blues: “Yes, I’ve been asked to stay on, so I’m looking forward to working with the new manager.”

Gill says he’s not had time to think about anything further than today’s match: “Like I said, I’ve not really had much time to think about it. One hundred per cent of my concentration was on tonight’s game and I’m sure I’ll have a good sleep on the coach on the way back.”


Photo: TWTD



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Swailsey added 22:24 - Mar 2
Congrats Matt and Bryan!
20

jeera added 22:27 - Mar 2
Certainly looks happier in that photo!

He's done well in the short time he's had.
26

Esseeja added 22:30 - Mar 2
If it's true that he has picked the team since Oxford or Hull, and by the way, we all thought it was a strange line-up, fair play to the man.

Bit worried that he said that Cook made a few tweaks at half-time because the second half was shaky.
2

DifferentGravy added 22:36 - Mar 2
Well done Matt and Bryan. Never going to be an easy game. Irrespective of the 10 men, we had the chances to put that game firmly to bed in the first half.....so very pleased with the 3 points midweek away from home!

COYB
6

pazzy added 22:37 - Mar 2
well done to all
4

SouperJim added 22:38 - Mar 2
Good on you Gilly, Gillo, Gillsy? Clearly has had quite a bit to do with our upturn in form and has seemed to be involved more in the last few games.

Just look at that grin! Says it all. Suddenly it's enjoyable to be a Town fan again.

Let's hope the takeover gets over the line now and maybe we'll have a club the fans can really get behind.
9

tractorlad01 added 22:42 - Mar 2
Breath of fresh air. Feeling very positive about the future. Coyb!!!!
8

Bert added 22:45 - Mar 2
A 100% win record ! Thank you.
7

blueboy1981 added 22:48 - Mar 2
Well Done Matt and Bryan, you both belong here at Portman Road, therefore glad you're staying.
Also the lads for a difficult away win - Accrington no easy place to go, always give their all.
5

BiGDonnie added 22:53 - Mar 2
Absolutely smashed it lads, keep up the good work.
4

Chrisd added 22:54 - Mar 2
Honest and genuine post match comments, how refreshing.
4

Carberry added 22:56 - Mar 2
Why do people make assumptions about what happens behind the scenes? He's been picking the team and is responsible for our upturn in form, really? He looks like a nice bloke but nothing more than a footnote who will be putting out the cones for Roberts. But good luck to him. By the way, like others with aspirations on here, I would have preferred Ancelotti or Guardiola to take over but let's get behind Cook who can enjoy the prayers and positive thought transference of fans who still believe what a wonderful, homely club we are. Seriously, it feels like Evans is holding out to keep some of the assets which has slowed this deal up. Of course I know nothing but guesswork seems acceptable to most people on here. No deal and we keep the silent caretaker owner, a deal and we move our prayer mats to point toward an American pension fund. Just remember, “The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there.”
3

Suffolk_n_Proud added 23:01 - Mar 2
All positive, looking forwards although a bit concerned that this is now the 2nd article that says we have a game in hand on 6th placed Doncaster when theyce played 1 game less. But we do have games in hand on 4th and 5th Sunderland and portsmouth
3

90z added 23:05 - Mar 2
Well played lads! Something for Paul Cook to build on.
4

TimmyH added 23:10 - Mar 2
Glad we got the win tonight and nobody saw the 3 wins on the bounce coming...saying that circumstances went our way tonight, 11 v 11 might have been different.

Lets get 4 now with Gillingham next.
4

Eireannach_gorm added 23:41 - Mar 2
A smiling face, what a tonic. A win is also good!
4

aas1010 added 23:46 - Mar 2
One big smiling face there well done to all!! He's happy we r all happy
3

ldnj added 23:52 - Mar 2
100% record, not many can say that ! Let's hope by the end of the season he's not being wished back in, it is after all another Paul.

Just think if they had the ability to tempt someone like Eddie Howe
-1

therein61 added 06:53 - Mar 3
Great job Matt i firmly believe we have you to thanks for our our last 3 wins.
1

oldburian added 08:16 - Mar 3
Surely Doncaster have a game in hand on us.
2

Crawfordsboot added 09:53 - Mar 3
Looks like we really have to accept that the word really, really is embedded in Towns DNA
:)
2


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