Next Gillingham Manager Odds: Steve Bruce in surprise link to Gills vacancy

Steve Bruce has emerged as a surprise name in the betting for the Gillingham job, which opened up last week following the sacking of Neil Harris.

We've taken a look what price the bookies are offering on the veteran boss returning to the dugout in League Two, then we run through some of the other names in contention for the vacancy.

Gillingham, who were top of the table earlier this season, opted to sack Harris following a run of four defeats in seven games, which had dropped the club to 8th in the table.

In a statement announcing Harris' departure, Gillingham said:

"The Club has decided it now wishes to go in a different direction and will begin the process of identifying a Head Coach to take the team forward."

Chairman Brad Galinson has since spoken about the club's manager search on X (formerly Twitter):

One manager who didn't initially feature in the next Gillingham manager market is Steve Bruce, who has since burst into the frame at just 5/4 with Bet Victor.

Bruce, 62, has been out-of-work for a year after he lost his job at Championship side West Brom, who at the time were 22nd in the table. In total, he managed just eight wins from 32 games.

The Baggies job had come after an intense two-and-a-half-year spell at Newcastle who have since gone on to flourish under the leadership of Eddie Howe.

Many questioned whether his subsequent post at West Brom would be Bruce's last - as did Bruce himself following his exit - but his shock emergence in the Gills betting could well indicate that he is pondering a drop down to the fourth tier.

Bruce actually began his playing career at the club back in 1979, going on to accumulate more than 200 appearances, before moving onto Norwich and then Man Utd.

The Gills are currently bidding to win promotion up to League One, with their former player's CV boasting four promotions during his 25-year managerial career, all of which have been from the Championship to the Premier League.

Following Bruce in the betting you'll find Crawley boss Scott Lindsey (6/1), former MK Dons, Charlton and Oxford manager Karl Robinson (8/1), and Andy Woodman (12/1), who has been in charge of Bromley since 2021.

Other names in the mix, include German manager Dennis Kutrieb (16/1) - who led Ebbsfleet United to the National League South title last season - ex-Charlton boss Lee Bowyer (16/1), as well as a former League Two title winner in Danny Cowley (20/1), whereas Gillingham's interim manager Keith Millen is a 25/1 outsider, however, he's already stated he doesn't want the job full-time.