Ex-Premier League midfielder emerges on Gillingham radar for managerial vacancy
The Gills are still searching for a Neil Harris replacement, and they have been in talks with the former assistant of Steve Bruce
Gillingham’s decision to sack Neil Harris over a week ago, despite being so close to the automatic promotion spots of League Two in the early stages of the 2023-24 season, was one that was viewed as quite harsh by many.
The Kent club’s American owner Brad Galinson decided to make the decision on Harris after a run of three matches without a win, and whilst caretaker boss Keith Millen got off to a perfect start last weekend with a 2-1 win over MK Dons, a dismal 4-1 defeat at the hands of Walsall on Saturday may mean the search for Harris’ replacement is accelerated.
The Sun reported on Saturday morning – via FLW – that Steve Bruce was under consideration for a huge return to the club where he started his playing career at before going on to become a Premier League winner for Man United.
It was claimed though that there was a split at boardroom level in regards to Bruce and how many of his backroom staff he would want to bring in, but a twist has emerged which involves one of the 62-year-old’s regular right-hand men.
According to Alan Nixon via Patreon, the Gillingham hierarchy have been talking to one of Bruce’s assistants in the form of Stephen Clemence, who is perhaps now looking to branch out on his own as a head coach.
Nixon has reported though that Galinson and co are speaking to multiple candidates, but 45-year-old Clemence being named could mean he is one of the favourites to land the job.
Who is Stephen Clemence?
The son of former England goalkeeper Ray, Clemence started his footballing career out at Tottenham Hotspur, making his senior debut in August 1997 for the Londoners against Man United.
The midfielder’s best season at White Hart Lane came in 2000-2001, when he appeared 35 times in all competitions, but then injuries thereafter meant he struggled to get back into the first-team and was eventually sold to Birmingham City in 2003 – then managed by the aforementioned Bruce.
Clemence spent four-and-a-half years with the Blues, playing 135 times in all competitions with 87 of those coming in the top flight of English football, but in 2007, with game-time not guaranteed, he was sent to Leicester City in a £1 million deal.
He would only play one full season though for the Foxes as from mid-2008 onwards, he would suffer from an achilles injury which would halt his career nearly two years later in 2010.
Clemence headed into coaching though following his early retirement at the age of 32, coaching the reserves of both Sunderland and Hull City before he was promoted at the Tigers to first-team coach under Bruce.
He has since followed Bruce to Aston Villa, Sheffield Wednesday, Newcastle United and West Brom, and was recently brought in at Man City to help coach their under-21’s on a temporary basis.
Would Stephen Clemence be a good appointment for Gillingham?
If Man City have brought you in to help coach their youngsters, then Clemence is clearly doing something right and will likely want to play good football when he gets the chance to become a manager.
That is something that Gills owner Galinson seemingly wants, and that style would be a big difference to what Neil Harris was offering up at the Priestfield Stadium.
And if they cannot tempt Bruce back to the club he started his career at, then perhaps a younger coach who he has nurtured could be the next-best thing.
It would of course be a gamble, but everyone has to start somewhere and Clemence will have good contacts in the game to potentially be a success.
