FOM BLOG: ADAPTABLE AND ATHLETIC AINSWORTH
Do You Like The Word Alliteration Title ??? (I know I do), but putting the word alliteration title to the side and on to more serious footballing matters regarding Gillingham Football Club. There has been a reoccurring theme and repeated pattern in the players Gillingham have signed over the summer, and this wasn’t done by accident, or, there was simply a coincidence. This was something planned intentionally by the football club, and you only have to look at the players Gillingham Football Club have signed this summer to recognise a very specific pattern in the types of players Gillingham have signed - and that repeated pattern, is the fact that Gillingham have signed adaptable, versatile and multi positional players.
And you only have to look at the list below of the players Gillingham have signed who are all multi positional players………
Samuel Tabares - 19 - Right Centre Back, Right Back, Right Wing Back
Conor McManus - 22 - Left Centre Back, Left Back, Left Wing Back
Kadeem Harris - 33 - Left Wing Back, Left Winger, Left Forward
Nick Freeman - 30 - Right Wing Back, Left Wing Back, Defensive Midfielder, Central Midfielder and Attacking Midfielder
Zane Albarus - 20 - Right Wing Back, Defensive Midfielder, Central Midfielder
James Brophy - 32 - Right And Left Winger, Attacking Midfielder, Left Wing Back
Sheldon Kendall - 18 - Right And Left Forward, And Central Striker
And I can also add on to that list existing players like Robbie McKenzie, who can play in any position in defence and midfield, Seb Palmer-Houlden can play in any of the forward positions on the pitch, and youth team players like Sullivan Booth and Damien Theodore have been playing at wing back for Gillingham in pre-season, with both players perhaps better suited to playing as wide forwards and playing much higher up the pitch.
Gillingham Manager Gareth Ainsworth wanted a much smaller senior first team squad, to have a smaller first team squad has pushed Gillingham into the direction of signing multi positional and versatile players. Who are adaptable to not only cover different positions on the pitch, but these players are also very effective depending on the circumstances of the match, and what there role on the pitch needs to be, depending on if Gillingham are trying to protect a lead, or, Gillingham are pushing for a late equaliser or late winner.
Kadeem Harris, for example, can play anywhere down the left side of the pitch, if we’re looking to be more attack minded for example, Conor McManus could come on as substitute in the left wing back position, and Kadeem Harris pushes higher up the pitch into a left forward position. If Gills are winning by a narrow score-line, and the opposition are committing additional players forwards to push for an equaliser, which is causing Gillingham problems that we need to be worried about defensively. Nick Freeman could be on the bench as substitute for example, and he is substituted on in place of Bradley Dack, to provide Gillingham with a more defensive minded midfield option on the pitch to try and see out a hard fought 1-0 or 2-1 away win.
Versatile and multi positional players can also help Gareth Ainsworth with changing formation without having to make a substitution, especially if the tactical build up all week on the opposition has been on our opponents playing a 4-2-3-1 formation, but come match-day, we realise during the match that our opponents are opting to line up with a 5-3-2 formation instead, that change in system could be something unexpected, so Gareth Ainsworth having multi positional players allows Gillingham to make readjustments to our own formation, without having to make a substitution becomes very valuable and very important.
The realities of a long competitive football season is the fact that injuries and suspensions are part and parcel of football, and whilst football clubs in The Premier League like Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea and Tottenham can afford to have two or three world class players in every position on the pitch, that is not a luxury that Gillingham can afford in League Two. So having players who are versatile and multi positional, allows for Gareth Ainsworth to have the squad depth he needs for when injuries and suspensions eventually happen throughout the season.
It also makes things easier for Gareth Ainsworth tactically when naming seven substitutes on the bench for league games, one of the substitutes is going to be Taite Holtam as understudy goalkeeper, Conor McManus on the bench provides Gillingham with cover at Left Centre Back, Left Back and Wing Back, Nick Freeman can cover any of the central midfielder positions on the bench as well as lining up in both wing back positions. Having utility players on the bench allows Gareth Ainsworth the option and luxury to name Garath McCleary, Seb Palmer-Houlden, Sheldon Kendall and Damien Theodore on the bench for example, so if one or two versatile and adaptable players on the bench can cover all of the defensive positions on the pitch, Then Gareth Ainsworth can name four attacking substitutes who can come on and contribute positively to the match, because having four impact attacking substitutes on the bench can help turn a loss into a draw, or, a draw into a win for The Gills.
You also got to take into consideration the number of matches and competitions that Gillingham participate in throughout The 2026 / 2027 Season, Gillingham play Forty Six League Games in League Two, but then there are matches in the following cup competitions……. League Cup, FA Cup, Football League Trophy, and Kent Senior Cup, that is a minimum of fifty two matches, with the opportunity to take that number of games closer to sixty depending on progression in any of the domestic cup competitions. Therefore, players who are multi positional and versatile are going to be important players to provide cover for, injuries, suspensions, squad rotation, and managing minutes of regular starting players, who might tire during a game physically and need to be substituted, and one such example could well be Robbie McKenzie having to come on as sub at right back to provide fresh legs and energy in that area of the pitch during the closing stages of a match.
But it is important to note that your versatile and adaptable players in the squad, need to be players who understand why there versatility and adaptability is needed, and why a adaptable player needs to be able to play as a defensive midfielder for one game, and left wing back the game after. Because being a utility player could well mean that a player is just OK as a defender, or OK, as a midfielder, but there not great in either position, compared to a player who specifically is very good at playing in one position on the pitch.
But in Nick Freeman and Kadeem Harris, Gillingham have signed two experienced, versatile and multi-positional players who understand why there adaptability will be used throughout the season. When Nick Freeman was interviewed after signing for Gillingham, Nick Freeman mentioned that being able to play in several different positions has become one of his biggest strengths. Nick Freeman also added that he has been a versatile / utility player because of the number of different positions he can play.
And whilst Nick Freeman and Kadeem Harris add experience to this Gillingham Side. Samuel Tabares, Conor McManus, Zane Albarus and Sheldon Kendall are four players who bring the average age of the squad down, and those four will add much needed mobility and athleticism to this Gillingham Side. Richard Dobson mentioned during the fans forum that Gillingham were one of the slowest teams in League Two throughout the 2025 / 2026 Season, this was something Gillingham wanted to improve upon in preparation for The 2026 / 2027 Season.
And with Gareth Ainsworth still looking to strengthen the squad before the transfer window closes, signing players with athleticism is clearly a trait that the football club are looking at, as Gillingham look to have a much better season on the pitch for The 2026 / 2027 Season. Adaptability Wise, I’d say the seven additions to the squad over the summer have more then covered the versatility that Gareth Ainsworth was looking for, and one or two of the younger player in this list could well have a breakout and promising season on the pitch for The Gills.
