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+----- Thread: Stephen Clemence in and now gone (/showthread.php?tid=12696)
Stephen Clemence in and now gone - themaclad - 01-11-2023
Gillingham have named former Birmingham and Tottenham midfielder Stephen Clemence as their head coach.
The 45-year-old, son of late England keeper Ray, has been part of Steve Bruce's coaching staff at Sunderland, Hull, Aston Villa, Sheffield Wednesday, Newcastle and West Brom.
Former Sunderland coach - and most recently Rochdale manager - Robbie Stockdale will be Clemence's assistant.
Neil Harris was sacked last month with Gills eighth in League Two.
Clemence will take training for the first time on Thursday, before his first game in charge at non-league Hereford in the FA Cup first round on Saturday.
After coming through the ranks at Tottenham, he made 91 appearances across six years at White Hart Lane before a move to Bruce's Birmingham and latterly Leicester.
His most recent first-team coaching role came under Bruce at West Brom, departing The Hawthorns along with Bruce in October 2022 after only eight months.
Former Gillingham defender Bruce had himself had been linked with the role, but Clemence will now take his first managerial position.
Gills' American majority owner Brad Galinson told BBC South East Today this week that the new boss at Priestfield needed to meet four key pieces of criteria - putting the players first, having a personality to fit in, playing brave, front-footed and entertaining football, and working hard.
Kenny Jackett, Gillingham's director of football, had led the search for Harris' successor while former chairman Paul Scally, who remains on the board, was involved in the process.
'Bruce said to have recommended Clemence' - Analysis
Ben Watts, BBC Radio Kent's Gillingham commentator
Stephen Clemence arrives at Priestfield with a wealth of coaching experience.
Having worked with ex-Gills defender Steve Bruce at Sunderland, Hull City, Aston Villa and Newcastle, he spent time coaching talented youngsters at Manchester City's academy after leaving West Brom.
Bruce is said to have recommended Clemence to his old club, to help the 45-year-old land his first head coach role.
His assistant Robbie Stockdale also has a wide-ranging CV, having coached at a number of EFL clubs.
The duo's task is to reignite Gillingham's League Two promotion push, which has stuttered since the departure of manager Neil Harris four weeks ago.
Owner Brad Galinson will expect not only results, but also a "front-foot" playing style, with Gills having currently scored the fewest goals in the division.
The American hopes Clemence's team "entertains and wins" at the same time.
RE: Stephen Clemence - themaclad - 29-04-2024
League Two side Gillingham have parted company with head coach Stephen Clemence after almost six months in charge.
The Gills, who finished 12th in the table, said in a statement that results have "not met the standards and expectations set by the club".
"The board believe a change is necessary to give the club the best possible chance of gaining promotion next season," the statement said., external
Clemence, 46, was appointed in November 2023 with the club eighth in the division.
He won 12 of his 34 games in charge as Gillingham missed out on the play-offs by six points.
Assistant head coach Robbie Stockdale has also left the club.
"We have been met with a really difficult decision," managing director Joe Comper said.
"We are impatient to achieve success for the supporters, and feel that our best chance of having that success is by making a change at this point.”
Having been seventh and in the play-off places with five games remaining this term, Gillingham took only four points from those matches to miss out.
Their 12th-placed finish this season sees them remain in the fourth tier for a third consecutive campaign.
The Gills sacked previous head coach Neil Harris in October after he joined in January 2022.
They were relegated from League One in 2022 and have previously been as high as the Championship.
"We now begin the process of appointing a successor," director of football, Kenny Jackett said.
"We will be looking to make an appointment as quickly as possible, so the new management team can form an integral part of the squad building process straight away."