It has been a week of upheaval at Whaddon Road as John Ward has departed for pastures new. The experienced Cheltenham boss guided the Robins to promotion and then led them to the highest league finish in their history last year. However, the opportunity to manage at Carlisle and try and lift them into the Championship proved too great to resist for Ward and he left with the Robins perched in the bottom four. Keith Downing has taken up the cudgels and has done his CV no harm whatsoever with a draw against Oldham last Saturday and a 3-1 triumph at Swindon in the Johnstone Paint's Trophy last night. Jerry Gill missed the Robins' victory as he was sitting in the stands following his sending off against Oldham. But at the ripe old age of 37, Gill is still going strong and has been a regular in the Cheltenham line up. Givemefootball's Ian Clarkson spoke exclusively to Gill about the recent changes at Gloucestershire's first Football League club and what lies in store.
Q:WERE YOU SURPRISED THAT JOHN WARD MOVED ON?
A:It was a big surprise. He came into the dressing room after we had lost away at Port Vale and said 'I am about to make your evening worse. I am leaving to manager Carlisel United'. The players genuinely had no idea that he was leaving but it is testament to his professionalism that he carried on as normal against Port Vale, despite the fact he knew it was his last game.
Q:WHAT WAS THE RESPONSE OF THE PLAYERS?
A:He thanked all of the backroom staff and when he had finished his speech, the lads gave him a standing ovation. I have never seen that before in any dressing room as there are normally a couple of players glad to see a manager leave. However, to a man, everyone clapped him and it was quite emotional for him. No-one has a bad word to say about him and it is to his credit that he wants to better himself in his late fifties. He is still ambitious and good luck to him.
Q:KEITH DOWNING IS TEMPORARILY IN CHARGE OF FIRST TEAM AFFAIRS – ARE THE PLAYERS FULLY BEHIND HIM?
A:Keith has got the backing of the players and we would all like to see him installed as manager. He has been part of what we have built here over the last four years, which included a promotion and our highest ever league position last year, so it would be a shame to lose that. We know that if we get t he results for Keith then he will be our next manager. We have made a good start with an excellent performance and a draw against Oldham followed up by a great win at Swindon last night.
Q:WOULD HE NOT BE TEMPTED TO FOLLOW JOHN WARD TO CARLISLE?
A:No. He has said it is the right stage of his career to be a manager. He is ambitious and will plan every training session meticulously. John Ward is a thinker and Keith is more vocal but constructive with it. We are playing Nottingham Forest at home this weekend so he has had a tough baptism, but we don't feel as though we will be involved in a relegation battle. We haven't been trounced by anyone and probably need to score more goals from all areas of the park. Keith has already made a couple of changes as he has brought in Dean Sinclair on loan from Charlton and Alan Wright has also joined and I am sure he won't stop there and that there will be another new face with us as well.
Q:HOW ARE YOUR FITNESS LEVELS AS YOU EDGE EVER CLOSER TO 40?
A:I genuinely still feel good. I am sure my legs will tell me when it is time to call it a day but that time hasn't arrived yet. We have fitness tests at the University of Gloucester every eight weeks and I finished top out of the whole squad when everything was taken into account. I was proud of that and I hope that proves I am still fit and able. I will keep going for as long as I can and if I am still playing at Christmas then I will try and sit down with Keith and maybe get another year's contract, if I can.
