Gillingham appoint Mark Bonner as new Manager

New Gills boss confirmed as former Cambridge United gaffer appointed as "First-Team Manager" at Priestfield

The arrival of former Cambridge United manager Mark Bonner as Gillingham’s new manager has now been confirmed.

Former head coach Stephen Clemence was relieved of his duties just eight days ago and the Galinsons, Kenny Jackett and co. have acted quickly to find a replacement for the former Manchester City coach, whose time in ME7 lasted just six months.

So, let’s look into what we can expect as Bonner prepares to take the reins at Priestfield for the upcoming 2024/25 campaign.

Bonner has only officially been a manager since 2020, spending three years at Cambridge United. In this time, Mark enjoyed a League Two promotion and oversaw a successful survival in League One as a 2-0 victory over Forest Green Rovers ensured Cambridge’s survival on the final day of the 2022/23 League One season. 

The 38-year-old was sacked by the U’s on November 29, 2023 after overseeing 201 games at the Abbey Stadium. Of those games (in all competitions), Bonner achieved 77 wins and 43 draws while suffering 81 defeats, culminating in a 38.31% win rate. 

Now, was Mark Bonner my initial first choice? If anyone has read my piece on Gareth Ainsworth, they’ll know that the former Wycombe Wanderers man was my number one candidate. However, Mark comes in with something that former coach Stephen Clemence didn’t, that being a proven track record.

All I (and many fans) asked for in regards to Clem’s replacement was someone who had experience of promotion at this level and has proved their worth at building a team capable of success at League Two level, at a minimum.

Were there supposedly “better” options? Yes. But, this past experience gives me reason to believe and invest in Bonner and his plans going forward. Let’s look into the proposed style and way of playing that the former U’s man may look to implement.

Interestingly, Bonner does not seem to favour a set formation or style that many managers do, opting more to chop and change dependant on the opponent and scenarios within a specific match. However, my research tells me that if he opts with any formation as a preference, it will be a 4-2-3-1 with a strong focus on the wide players in the three behind the striker. This would signify further the importance for us to bring in tricky and effective wide players in order to implement this formation to the best of its ability. 

This formation was a constant during Bonner’s reign at the U’s during the last season, up until November. At his disposal were wide players James Brophy and more notably the exciting Sullay KaiKai, the latter being someone I’ve wanted to see in a Gills shirt for quite some time. KaiKai is a very direct and tricky wide player who can get his team up the pitch, beat his man and contribute goals and assists. Brophy, meanwhile, is more of a technical player who perhaps does not have the best output in terms of goal involvements.

For me, you’d like both wide players to compliment eachother in this formation and offer similar threats so that you have the luxury of being able to attack with strong results from either side.

I’m no expert on Cambridge’s transfer strategy but perhaps the lack of a quick, front footed winger to compliment KaiKai made the U’s somewhat predictable in attack and assisted their poor start to the campaign. I feel certain individuals at Cambridge may be on the decline as the squad certainly isn’t an overall young one. The 4-2-3-1 set up guided them to an initial safe finish in League One but perhaps outgrew the existing squad, hence the struggles that followed and the need for Bonner to change up formations.

Mark opted for a diamond formation in Cambridge’s promotion season in 2020/21, including an attacking midfielder at the tip, behind two strikers. In terms of a front three, Bonner certainly had exceptional options in this particular campaign in League Two. Paul Mullin was partnered by Joe Ironside in a forward duo, with both of which likely to be back in League One next season with Wrexham (confirmed) and Doncaster (play off dependant) respectfully. In behind them was veteran midfielder and Norwich legend Wes Hoolahan, who completed a very dangerous front three. Also worth noting, Mullin had failed to hit double figures in a season up to this move, where he notched 32 goals. This shows that Bonner is capable of improving players.

It remains to be seen whether Mark will look to return to the trusted diamond formation that reaped rewards in the fourth tier last time out. If so, I certainly see reasons for optimism. I’d safely imagine Jonny Williams would be trusted to take the number 10 role and would appear to be a player who Bonner would like, with distinct similarities to Hoolahan with his vast experience and creative flair. Joe Ironside was a very aggressive forward for Cambridge in a battering ram type role, I feel Josh Andrews could more than fill that role in a Bonner side and prosper within it. All that leaves is a second striker to play within this trio, a dynamic scorer, hard to come by but would certainly make this structural idea tick. 

Cambridge were League 2’s top scorers during their second-placed promotion season in 2020/21, which will be music to Gills fans’ ears given our distinct lack of goalscoring prowess over the last two to three campaigns. 

This has been a brief look at what we could see under Bonner. I believe this could prove to be a good appointment – he’s a young manager with a promotion under his belt. Yes, the spell at Cambridge didn’t end particularly well, but we are a club who are financially stronger than the U’s (with all due respect), so I expect Mark will be backed, and with better resources can recruit better players to best put his plans into action and hopefully bring us success.

Let’s see what the future brings and good luck to Mark!

Up The Gills!

By Owen Stanley (@OwenLDBR)