Gillingham: Chesterfield and others have this advantage in promotion race - View | OneFootball

As well as their 23 rivals in League Two's race for promotion, Gillingham face another obstacle – the toughest travel schedule in the division.

Gillingham may be among the favourites to do well in League Two this season, but they face one key disadvantage compared to their rivals – geography.

The Gills are the southernmost team in League Two and, based in the South East in a division that is dominated by northern clubs, they find themselves in the unenviable position of having the most punishing travel schedule of any team in the division.

League Two is a northern division in 2024/25

Gillingham are one of only eight clubs in League Two that reside south of Birmingham and one of only three sides that lie south of Central London.

Their relatively remote location in relation to the majority of their League Two rivals means that the Gills will be racking up the motorway miles throughout the season.

Gillingham top travel mileage list in League Two

When it comes to awayday mileage, the Gills sit at the top of the table.

Based on The Stats Zone's Google Maps round-trip measurements from stadium to stadium, via the shortest possible route by road, Gillingham have the highest away day mileage of any side in League Two.

Gillingham will have to travel a colossal 9,130 miles in 2024/25, some 90 miles more than Colchester United, who sit second in the list. The Kent club has a dedicated away following, and they'll endure an average round trip of 397 miles this season as they follow the Gills up and down the country.

Compare that with one of the other favourites to do well in League Two, Chesterfield, who sit at the bottom of the table with an away mileage of just 4,880, and an average of just 212.3 miles per away day.

Gillingham handed punishing early-season schedule, but there are positives

Compounding Gillingham's tough overall schedule is a particularly nasty start to the campaign, with their first two away league games coming back to back, and serving up the club's second- and third-longest away day trips of the season.

Mark Bonner revealed that his team had endured a nightmare eight-and-a-quarter-hour journey just to get to Morecambe last weekend, but the trip was worth it as they came away with a hard-earned, scrappy, 1-0 win. This weekend they'll go a little bit further as they head to Fleetwood Town for another punishing travel assignment.

On paper, the punishing schedule would appear to be a major disadvantage to Gillingham, with the likes of Chesterfield and Port Vale blessed with a significantly easier travel schedule than the Gills. But Bonner will be hoping that the time spent travelling the length and breadth of the country will help foster a stronger bond within his squad as they build their chemistry during the season.

With two of their three longest away days set to be in the rear view mirror by the end of the weekend, Gillingham's away days might start to feel a little easier as they head into September.

And if Bonner's side can start to pick up regular results on the road – unlike Gills sides of recent years – the Kent club could go a long way, quite literally, in their quest to earn promotion to League One.