EFL club abandon end of season awards dinner amid dismal campaign

Gillingham announced they will not be conducting an end of season awards night.

The League Two outfit communicated the decision to scrap the awards, originally scheduled to happen after the final game of the season on Saturday, to their supporters on Tuesday morning.

George Tewkesbury

“The club has decided to cancel Saturday’s end of season awards dinner at MEMS Priestfield Stadium,” the club said.

“We will publish a list of award winners on our website over the weekend.”

Gillingham’s call to scrap the evening came days after a 6-2 loss away to Barnet, with Josh Andrews’ goal in second-half stoppage time sparing some of the Gills’ scoreboard blushes.

The defeat to Barnet was Gillingham’s 19th in the league this season, with the club languishing in 18th.

However, the result will not have any bearing on their League Two status given they are 11 points clear of the EFL fourth tier’s relegation zone with one league fixture remaining.

Gills’ nightmare 2026 laid bare

Regardless, the Barnet loss continued an alarming run of form for Gareth Ainsworth’s side in 2026.

Of the Gills’ 22 league games in 2026, they have tasted victory just five times and lost 14.

It is a run of results which pales in complete contrast to how Gillingham began the 2025/26 campaign.

Ainsworth’s side started brightly as they enjoyed a nine-match unbeaten streak, a run which included six wins.

The impressive form had Gillingham sitting on top of League Two, sparking dreams of a potential promotion push.

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However, those dreams slowly fizzled out as Gillingham won only once in the league from September 27 to January 17.

This came during a period of the season where Ainsworth was absent from the dugout as he recovered from open heart surgery.

Ainsworth: ‘We need massive changes’

With Gillingham on course for yet another bottom-half finish since being relegated from League One in 2022, Ainsworth has already vowed to make sweeping changes in the summer to avoid a repeat next season.

“The levels are just not at the level that we need to be in League Two,” Ainsworth said following the loss to Barnet.

“If we need to get out of League Two, if we need to finish in the top half of League Two at least, then we need massive changes at this club. I want to be a part of that.

“I am a scrapper, and it will never get me down. I will have a go, and I will fight my way out of anything. That is who I am.

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“I fought my way in my career to play at the top, and I am going to fight my way at this management to find a way to get this team better. I am absolutely committed to that.

“My style is up and at them and in their face. Can we press? Can we get the second balls? Can we get it wide and get chances? You haven’t seen it yet. Not really, we have seen a couple of glimpses of it.

“I want to get the players who can play my style and my way of playing.

Ainsworth’s side can finish the League Two campaign on a high when they host his former Shrewsbury on the final day of the season, which falls on May 2.

The 52-year-old left then-League One Shrewsbury last season in March to take the job at Gillingham. The Shrews finished the campaign bottom of the third tier.