It's certainly a relegation six pointer this weekend as the current bottom two in Gillingham and Hartlepool United meet at Priestfield Stadium. They played each other earlier in the season which ended 0-0 at The Suit Direct Stadium in front of 4,298 people. Add to this the Rochdale (22nd) v Colchester United (20th) fixture and you can see this Saturday could be a pivotal and highly important one for the season.
It's the same next weekend as Hartlepool United welcome Rochdale and Colchester United host Gillingham.
With last season's relegated side's Oldham Athletic and Scunthorpe United both struggling towards the bottom of The Vanarama National League and non-league's top division becoming increasingly competitive the fight to avoid relegation has never been so important.
Here we take a look at the clubs currently in the bottom five of the football league.
GILLINGHAM (P 23, PTS - 14)
CURRENT ODDS TO BE RELEGATED - 6/4
WINS SO FAR - 2
Saturday 6th August - ROCHDALE W 1-0
Saturday 1st October - SUTTON UNITED W 1-0
GAMES SINCE A WIN - 12
With just 2 wins from 23 games and only 7 goals scored it's been a frustrating season so far for the Kent club. On a positive side they have only conceded 28 goals - It's clear to see hitting the back of the net is the problem for Neil Harris's side. The former Cardiff City and Millwall manager has been in charge at The Priestfield Stadium since the 31st January.
Just prior to Christmas American Businessman Brad Galinson completed a take over by purchasing a majority share in the club.
Former player and boss Andy Hessenthaler has recently re-joined the club as Head of Recruitment leaving his post as Manager of Vanarama South side Dover Athletic. Also joining the club is former Portsmouth and Leyton Orient boss Kenny Jackett as Director of Football.
They have made a number of new signings - Striker Tom Nichols has joined from League Two rival's Crawley Town for an undisclosed fee. He has scored 2 in 19 league games for The Red Devils and 10 in 39 last season.
Midfielder Timothee Dieng has joined from League One side Exeter City where he has scored 15 goals in 59 league games for The Grecians since joining them from Southend United in 2021.
Striker Oli Hawkins has also joined from Mansfield Town where he has been since 2021. He has also played in the football league for Portsmouth, Ipswich Town and Dagenham & Redbridge. He started his career in non-league football with Hillingdon Borough, Northwood, Harrow Borough and Hemel Hempstead Town. He scored 7 times in 41 League Two games for Mansfield Town in the 21/22 season and has netted 3 times in 21 League Two games so far this season.
Goalkeeper Glenn Morris, 39, has rejoined the club from Crawley Town on a permanent basis. He spent the beginning part of the season on loan at Priestfield and brings with him a huge amount of experience having previously played for Gillingham, Aldershot Town, Southend United and Leyton Orient - He made his footbal league debut for The O's in 2001.
HARTLEPOOL UNITED (P 24, PTS 19)
CURRENT ODDS TO BE RELEGATED - 8/13
WINS SO FAR - 4
Tuesday 4th October - DONCASTER ROVERS W 2-1
Saturday 29th October - GRIMSBY TOWN W 2-1
Friday 9th December - Crawley Town W 2-0
Monday 26th December - Rochdale W 2-1
GAMES SINCE A WIN - 2
Fan of The County Durham side know all about dropping out of the football league as they did so in 2017 and had three mid-table finishes in non-league top division followed by promotion back to League Two in 2021. The club finished in 17th place last season with successful Manager Dave Challinor leaving in November 2021 to join Stockport County.
Since Challinor's departure Anthony Sweeney was been interim boss until Graeme Lee was appointed in December before he was sacked with one game left of the 21/22 season. Paul Hartley was appointed boss in the summer leaving Scottish side Cove Rangers where they had just won the League One title. After a poor start to the 22/23 season he was sacked in September and is now back at Cove Rangers. Former Mansfield Town, Torquay United, Notts Couty, Carlisle United, Northampton Town and Oldham Athletic boss Keith Curle has been in charge since September.
Recent signings for The Pools are central defender Matty Dolan who joins initially on loan from League Two Newport County. He was born in the town and had a previous spell with the club on loan from Middlesborough back in the 2013/14 season. He had been with the Welsh club since 2017.
Another former player and centre-back has also signed. Peter Hartley, 34, after a two and a half year spell with Indian Super League side Jamshedpur. He was also born in the town and made 181 appearances for the club from 2009 to 2014. He has also played for Motherwell, Stevenage and Plymouth Argyle amongst other clubs.
Another defender has also signed. Dan Dodds, 21, joins for Championship side Middlesborough - He has spent the first part of this season on loan with Vanarama North side Darlington.
ROCHDALE (P 25, PTS 20)
CURRENT ODDS TO BE RELEGATED - 2/1
WINS SO FAR - 5
Saturday 24th September - Colchester United W 1-0
Saturday 8th October - Newport County W 1-0
Saturday 15th October - BARROW W 2-1
Tuesday 8th November - SALFORD CITY W 1-0
Tuesday 10th January - Bradford City W 2-1
GAMES SINCE A WIN - 0
Former AFC Fylde and Morecambe boss Jim Bentley has been in charge at Spotland since the end of August - He replaced Robbie Stockdale who was dismissed after they had lost their opening four League Two fixtures.
The Dale took a very welcome three points from their game at 5th placed Bradford City on Tuesday evening - It was their first win in eight league games. Ian Henderson scored both goals in the game at Valley Parade.
They have recently signed goalkeeper Jake Eastwood on loan from Sheffield United - The 26 year old has been with Scottish Premier League side Ross County for the early part of the season where he made only two appearances in the Scottish League Cup. He has been on The Blade's books since 2016 and has been on loan at a number of clubs since.
CRAWLEY TOWN (P 24, PTS 22)
CURRENT ODDS TO BE RELEGATED - 15/8
WINS SO FAR - 5
Tuesday 13th September - STOCKPORT COUNTY W 3-2
Saturday 15th October - NEWPORT COUNTY W 2-1
Saturday 22nd October - MANSFIELD TOWN W 3-2
Saturday 12th November - BARROW W 1-0
Saturday 3rd December - SWINDON TOWN W 2-0
GAMES SINCE A WIN - 4
It's been an eventful season for The Red Devils - they started with Kevin Betsy in charge who joined the club after spell coaching Arsenal's under 23 side. He departed in October to be replaced by Lewis Young as Caretaker boss. Former Peterborough United, Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United and Stoke City player Matt Etherington was given the job on Sunday 27th November but after just just three games in charge (Swindon Town W 2-0, Hartlepool United L 0-2 and Sutton United L 1-2) he and his assistant Simon Davies left the club.
In a surprise move the club have appointed Scott Lindsey as Manager who swaps play-off chasing Swindon Town for Broadfield Stadium - He had been boss with The Robins since June when he was promoted from assistant following Ben Garner's departure to Charlton Athletic. Garner's spell in South London only last a few months and he departed The Addicks in December.
Former Welling United, Ebbsfleet United, Braintree United, Welling United and Bangladesh International team Manager Jamie Day moves to Crawley Town with Lindsey as Assistant Manger.
The club have been owned since April 2022 by WAGMI UNITED LLC a group of United States cryptocurrency investors.
COLCHESTER UNITED (P 25, PTS 23)
CURRENT ODDS TO BE RELEGATED - 10/3
WINS SO FAR - 6
Tuesday 16th August - BRADFORD CITY W 1-0
Saturday 8th October - HARROGATE TOWN W 2-1
Saturday 19th November - DONCASTER ROVERS W 3-0
Monday 26th December - Gillingham W 1-0
Sun 1st January - SWINDON TOWN W 1-0
Sat 7th January - Harrogate Town W 3-1
GAMES SINCE A WIN - 0
Former Ipswich Town and Wycombe Wanderers player Matt Bloomfield was given the job as Manager of Colchester United at the end of September after the departure of Wayne Brown who had been charge since January.
Its been a very good Christmas and New Year period for the Essex club three wins from four games played which has lifted them four points above the drop zone.
It's already been a very busy January transfer window with five signings made already.
Striker Matt Jay joins from League One side Exeter City, Defender Connor Hall moves from League One side Port Vale, Defender Fiacre Kelleher was on loan with Solihull Moors in the first part of the season and joins on a permenant basis from Bradford City, Midfielder Arthur Read has moved from Stevenage and Connor Wood, a left back/winger, joins on loan from Leyton Orient.
HARROGATE TOWN (P24, PTS 23), NEWPORT COUNTY (P25 PTS 26) and CREWE ALEXANDRA (P23 PTS 29) are next up in the league table and could easily be dragged into the drop zone with a poor run of results.
FORTHCOMING FIXTURES FOR THE CURRENT BOTTOM FIVE
Saturday 14th January
Gillingham (24th) v Hartlepool United (23rd)
Rochdale (22nd) v Colchester United (20th)
Crawley Town (21st) v Doncaster United (10th)
Saturday 21st January
Colchester United (20th) v Gillingham (24th)
Hartlepool United (23rd) v Rochdale (22nd)
Sutton United (12th) v Crawley Town (21st)
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