Gillingham eyeing Southend United boss as Stephen Clemence replacement | OneFootball

Gillingham want Southend United boss Kevin Maher to fill the vacant managerial role at Priestfield.

That's according to journalist Alan Nixon, who says the League Two side have been impressed by the work Maher has done with the Shrimpers.

The Gills are currently looking for a new manager, following the sacking of Stephen Clemence earlier this week.

Clemence had spent six months as Gillingham manager, winning 12 out of 34 games in all competitions, before departing at the end of the season.

Now it seems as though the club have not wasted much time in identifying his potential successor.

Gillingham want Kevin Maher

According to this latest update, Maher is now being targeted by the Gills to take over from Clemence at Priestfield.

The Gillingham hierarchy have apparently become interested in the 47-year-old, thanks to the work he has done with Southend.

As a result, the Gills are now expected to try and negotiate a deal that will bring Maher to Priestfield.

Having previously spent ten years of his playing career with Southend between 1998 and 2008, Maher returned to the club to take on the role of manager back in 2021.

Since then, he has had to deal with a number of off-field issues, which have even led to the club's very existence coming into question this season.

The 2023/24 campaign also saw Maher heavily restricted when it came to signings Southend were allowed to make, and they were also hit with a ten point deduction due to their financial issues.

Despite all that, Maher still managed to guide the club to a ninth place finish in the National League standings this season, finishing just six points adrift of the play-off places.

An underwhelming campaign for Gillingham

In contrast to that, this season arguably did not live up to expectations for those at Gillingham.

Despite heavy investment in the transfer window from the club's American owners, that was no doubt made with promotion in mind, they ultimately fell some way short of that target.

In the end, the club finished this season 12th in the League Two table, six points adrift of the top seven.

A smart appointment for Gillingham

It does feel as though bringing Maher could be a very sensible move for Gillingham to make.

There can be no denying that the 47-year-old has worked wonders with what he has done at Southend recently.

Even though he has been faced with a club that has been unsure how much longer it will exist for across most of the campaign, and with a squad badly limited in its recruitment, he has still taken them close to a National League play-off spot.

That can only enhance his reputation, and surely shows he is ready to deal with anything that is thrown at him in management.

Indeed, with the stronger backing and squad he might get in League Two with Gillingham, there is an argument he may be able to thrive even further, and take the Gills closer to that desired promotion, given how he pushed for that in such challenging circumstances with Southend.

As a result, it does feel as though the appointment of Maher is one that ought to be well worth looking further into for those in charge at Gillingham.