Gillingham FC man can have fresh start under Gareth Ainsworth | OneFootball

Jonny Williams has been left out in the cold under successive Gills managers. Now, under Gareth Ainsworth, he's could get his chance to shine.

Gareth Ainsworth’s arrival at Gillingham has brought a fresh optimism to the Kent club, with the former Wycombe and QPR man’s positivity already helping bring better performances out of the team.

One of the most noticeable changes since Ainsworth’s arrival has been the return to the fold of a number of players who had previously found themselves out of favour at the club.

Returning Jonny Williams gave a glimpse of what Gillingham have been missing

One man who Ainsworth drafted back into first-team action was Jonny Williams, with the former Welsh international showing what the team had been missing with him out of the side for so long.

Williams put in a Man of the Match performance against Colchester United in Ainsworth’s first home game in charge in a display that offered fresh hope – not just for Williams himself, but also for the Gillingham fans, who have watched the site toil in midfield without much creativity.

Williams’ energetic performance and forward-thinking play could offer more of a creative spark to the team going forward, and the new gaffer was certainly happy with what he saw.

Ainsworth heaped praise on Williams after his return to the side

"All I will say is that the sponsors know their football," he told the press after Williams was named Man of the Match.

"He was outstanding in that midfield, and I think again, Jonny is one that has grabbed hold of this new lease and this new way of doing things.

"The boys are organised, and they know what they’re coming into every day. It’s positive, it’s energetic and it’s organised. They’re coming in every day and they’re appreciating that, and are happy with that. Jonny is an experienced guy, he has played at an international level and played at some top levels.

"I’d love to add more goals to his game, but when he plays like that in the middle of the park, I think we buzzed off him. He was responsible for getting that ball back and controlling a lot of the possession."

Ainsworth used Williams from the bench four days later at Salford, and explained that he is managing game time for his new players in an attempt to keep them fit so they can contribute across more games, with Williams being a prime example of that.

"It's a third game in a week which is always potential for injuries and things," he told the media after the game.

"People will say that Jonny had a fantastic game in midweek, so why is he out of the team? The reason is because I want him to have a lot more fantastic games, and so go with it. Jonny came on and did his usual. He was busy around the place."

Williams has spoken of his struggles during ‘frustrating season’ at Priestfield

For Williams, it’s been like a fresh start after a turbulent time for the Gillingham dressing room. While the squad as a collective have shouldered much of the blame for the team’s poor results over the last couple of seasons, the players themselves have also had to adapt and adjust to four different managers in the space of two seasons.

And with Williams stuck either on the bench, or out of the matchday squad completely, it’s been a frustrating time for the Welshman. But now, since Ainsworth’s arrival, he’s been given the chance to perform again, and he’s determined to take the opportunity with both hands.

"It's been a frustrating season for me, and I think I only started three games before the new manager has come in and I have felt fit pretty much the whole season," he told the club's official website.

"But you just have to stay ready, keep training and keep believing in yourself whilst telling yourself you’re good enough, so when you get that opportunity, you try your best to stay in the team.

"I’m happy I was able to take that opportunity tonight and repay the fans’ faith in me, it's the start of something the manager wants to build on and hopefully the fans can see it has been a great start."

Williams’ return offers hope for the future at Priestfield

Williams’ return to the first-team picture at Gillingham gives a hint at a more creative, attack-minded approach under Ainsworth. Scoring goals has been a major problem for the Gills over recent seasons, and fans will hope that Williams’ presence in the side might help increase the number of chances created in the matches ahead.

And, as Ainsworth spends more time with his players on the training pitch and gets his ethos and ideas across to the squad over the summer, a player like Williams could almost become like a new signing for the club.

With a creatively-minded, positive manager at the help, Williams could be like a new signing for the Gills next season, and fans could start to see the quality that convinced Gillingham to swoop in and steal him away from an impending move to Bradford City two seasons ago.

At the time, it was seen as a major coup for the Gills to secure Williams’ signature, but so far, neither the club nor the player will be satisfied with how things have gone so far. With a fresh start under a new manager, 2025-26 might be when Williams finds his mojo again, and becomes a crucial player in an improved, attack-minded Gillingham side under Ainsworth.