League Two Gillingham sack head coach Clemence

League Two side Gillingham have parted company with head coach Stephen Clemence after almost six months in charge.

The Gills, who finished 12th in the table, said in a statement that results have "not met the standards and expectations set by the club".

"The board believe a change is necessary to give the club the best possible chance of gaining promotion next season," the statement said., external

Clemence, 46, was appointed as Neil Harris' successor in November 2023 with the club eighth in the division.

He won 12 of his 34 games in charge as Gillingham missed out on the play-offs by six points.

Assistant head coach Robbie Stockdale has also left the club.

"We have been met with a really difficult decision," managing director Joe Comper said.

"We are impatient to achieve success for the supporters, and feel that our best chance of having that success is by making a change at this point.”

This was Clemence's first job in management having previously been on Steve Bruce's coaching staff at Hull City, Aston Villa, Sheffield Wednesday, Newcastle and West Brom.

They were seventh with five games remaining this campaign but took only four points from those matches to miss out.

Their 12th-placed finish this season sees them remain in the fourth tier for a third consecutive campaign.

"We now begin the process of appointing a successor," director of football, Kenny Jackett said.

"We will be looking to make an appointment as quickly as possible, so the new management team can form an integral part of the squad building process straight away."