Gills boss Ainsworth's health most important - Dobson
![Gareth Ainsworth [left] puts his arm round Richard Dobson [right] and speaks to him while they are on the touchline at a Shrewsbury Town game](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/800/cpsprodpb/8b95/live/c0078260-a054-11f0-b687-23a5afa8b42e.jpg.webp)
Gareth Ainsworth and Richard Dobson have worked together at Wycombe Wanderers, Queens Park Rangers, Shrewsbury Town and Gillingham
- Published
Such is Gareth Ainsworth's commitment to his job, the Gillingham boss will "be coming round from the op and wanting to get straight back on the touchline" after having open heart surgery, says his long-term assistant Richard Dobson.
Gills announced on Sunday their manager would undergo the procedure and be off work for "some weeks".
Dobson, who has also worked with Ainsworth at Wycombe Wanderers, QPR and Shrewsbury Town, will take charge of the team in his absence.
They travel to MK Dons on Saturday and he said his focus was on maintaining the Kent side's strong start to the League Two season until Ainsworth is fit to return.
"The team's very much in his mould," Dobson told BBC Radio Kent.
"If somebody falls, the rest of us are here to pick them up. In this case it happens to be Gaz. Gaz has picked so many people up over the years, it's our turn to pick him up and hold the fort until he returns.
"Over the next month his health is the most important thing. I need everyone pulling in the same direction so we can keep any pressure away from him.
"Because I know what he's like, he'll be coming round from the op and wanting to get straight back on the touchline. But he needs time, he needs to recover."
Richard Dobson says Gillingham "want to keep things normal" while Ainsworth recovers from surgery
Gillingham sit third in the table, one point off the top, with 21 points from their opening 10 matches.
They come into the game on the back of their first defeat of the season - 1-0 at home to Harrogate Town.
Dobson said he was impressed by the reaction to the result by both the players and the supporters and highlighted the fact it is still very early in the season.
"We want to give ourselves the best possible chance so that when Gaz comes back we're in a good position in the league," he added.
"We've started well but it's nothing more than a good start – no trophies and no promotions are won in October or November and there's another four-fifths 5ths [80%] of the season to go yet."