Joe Martin’s comments angered a lot of Gillingham fans on Wednesday. Discussing Millwall’s fairly terrible start given their financial capability and apparent ‘status’ within League One, Martin didn’t miss the chance to hit back at the club which released him over the summer.
The reaction from the Gillingham faithful was generous. The belief that he wouldn’t fit into Justin Edinburgh’s new look side, his injury record and the loan signings proving that better left-backs were available, did not breed much disappointment. However, as a member of the 2012-13 Championship-winning season, Martin was sent the best wishes of the Priestfield locals in much the same well-spirited fashion that Leon Legge left.
Just like Legge and other members of the squad, Martin would have been welcomed back to Priestfield. However, eyebrows were raised when Millwall signed Martin, as many Gillingham fans imagined that he would have to take a step back into League Two as opposed to signing for one of the favourites in the division.
Martin suffered yet another injury in pre-season and played his first match of the campaign against Northampton in the Johnstone Paint Trophy on Tuesday. This has led to the emergence of his disparaging statements this week. Martin commented that “their [Gillingham’s] squad is nowhere near as good as ours” and that Gillingham had “had a bit of luck” given “the difference of the standard of players that are here,” (via News at Den).
Martin’s comments were surprising and alarming on a number of levels. Firstly, it raised questions over what about their start he viewed as lucky? Has he watched any of the matches, or is he just listening to what opposing managers have said? Secondly, it seems strange that a team struggling under an inexperienced manager post-relegation is that much of a shock.
The reaction then narrowed in on Gillingham’s current left-back options supplied by Brennan Dickenson and Bradley Garmston. It is doubtful on current form that Martin would even be on the Gills bench at the minute, lacking the pace that Edinburgh demands of his wing-backs. More to the point, Martin’s struggles with injuries indicate that he should not suddenly consider himself ‘above’ the Gills, nor in a position to look down upon them with such disdain. Ironically, it is much easier for the Gills in a lofty third position to look down upon a player who is yet to make a league appearance for a team sitting in seventeenth.
Dickenson’s pinpoint crossing has already notched him multiple assists, and Garmston’s pace will always cause problems for defences. Both options therefore provide a far more potent attacking force than Martin during his time at Gillingham, even considering his free-kick ability and screamer at Plymouth.
Of course we live in an age where player loyalty is not to be expected and certainly I don’t think many Gills fans anticipated Martin missing Gillingham in the same way as, say, the adored Adam Barrett or Stuart Nelson. But, this sort of one-upmanship leaves a bitter and unnecessary taste in the mouth of Gillingham fans, and will add spice to the already hotly anticipated match on the 19th December. The need to bring Gillingham into the mix appears to be spiteful – have Burton, Walsall and Bury also been lucky?
Gillingham may yet fall down the table, and Millwall rise up – they certainly have the backing to do so. But Martin’s comments were wholly unnecessary for a player who was respected at Priestfield and is now ingrained in some of its most recent history.
Sorry, Joe, but Gillingham fans won’t be extending the warm welcome to you in December. Nor will they be sorry that you aren’t hunting a second Gills title in four years.
Main photo courtesy of Kent Online.
