Paul Scally: Gillingham owner explains decision to retain Ady Pennock

Gillingham have won only four of their 21 games under former Forest Green Rovers boss Ady Pennock

Gillingham owner Paul Scally says Ady Pennock deserved another chance to lead the League One club, despite admitting to disappointment with recent results.

The Gills finished 20th in the table this season, having been 17th when Pennock was made head coach in January.

But Pennock, 46, was handed a 12-month deal to stay on as head coach for next season, with former Gills boss Peter Taylor appointed director of football.

"My decision is based on having watched the way he's worked," Scally said.

"I understand that many may say that results haven't been as we would have hoped. We all accept that, but he has worked exceedingly hard in some very difficult circumstances, in circumstances that in my 22 years I've never seen the likes of.

"I felt that he deserved a chance to see what he could do given a pre-season, given his own players coming in and given that he'd have a fresh start, but I only wanted to do that if I was able to bring in someone experienced to work above him."

Former England Under-21 boss Taylor, 64, was sacked by Scally in December 2014 after a phone call between the pair.

"I've always kept very close to Peter," Scally told BBC Radio Kent. "Peter's a very experienced person, very experienced in the contacts he has and the players he knows.

"I just feel that it's going to be absolutely essential going forward this season that our recruitment's a lot better than it was last season and the season before."