Gillingham boss Neil Harris appoints Deren Ibrahim as his full-time goalkeeper coach

GILLINGHAM manager Neil Harris has appointed Deren Ibrahim, 30, as full-time goalkeeping coach.

 

The former Gilbraltar international came through the academy ranks at Queens Park Rangers before making his debut for Dartford in 2008 and went on to make nearly 200 appearances for the club.

Ibrahim has played his entire carear within the non-league game, having played for Dartford, Sittingbourne, Margate, Maidstone United, Ramsgate, Leatherhead, Tonbridge Angels, Cray Valley (Paper Mills) and Corinthian.

He has a FA Vase runners-up medal as he was Andy Walker’s understudy when Cray Valley reached the Final in May 2019, losing to Chertsey Town 3-1 after extra time at Wembley Stadium.

He featured eight times for the Gibraltar nationla side and is now involved with the Welsh under 19 set-up.

“Deren joined us on Friday, infrastrcture is so key,” former Millwall and Cardiff City boss Harris told the club website.

“He is a local person, he knows the club very well, knows a lot of the players, knows the staff and he’s a great appointment.

“He has a great future in front of him.  He works for the Welsh national team as well. He’s really well thought of and I felt fortuate to bring him in.

“He’s a member of staff I want to work with and we are building a group of staff who can help the players get better.”

Gillingham are third-from-bottom in the League One table, having collected 26 points from 32 games and have 16 more games to avoid relegation, with six points adrift of safety, taking goal-difference into account.

Harris won his first game in charge of Gillingham, beating Crewe Alexandra 1-0 at Priestfield Stadium on 1 February.  The Gills then lost 1-0 at Ipswich Town, before bouncing back with another 1-0 home win, this time over Cambridge United and they came away from Morecambe with a point in a 1-1 draw on Saturday.

Plymouth Argyle visit Preistfield Stadium on Saturday, 22 February, before AFC Wimbledon visit three days later.

Meanwhile, Gillingham’s trip to Isthmian League Premier Division side Margate in the Kent Senior Cup Second Round has been arranged for Tuesday 1 March 2022 (19:45).

Visit Gillingham’s website: www.gillinghamfootballclub.com