Bradley Dack sends emotional message to Max Ehmer after big Gillingham FC news | OneFootball

The end of a Gills era is set to occur at the end of the season with the departure of Ehmer

Gillingham will say goodbye to a long-serving player at the end of the current season, with the club confirming that Max Ehmer will depart permanently for the second time in his career.

The German defender first appeared for the Kent outfit in 2014, joining them on loan from Queens Park Rangers at a time when they were a League One club.

Seeing out the 2014-15 season with the Gills, Ehmer landed at the Priestfield Stadium permanently in the summer of 2015, spending five long years with the club before heading to Bristol Rovers on a free transfer.

His time at the Gas would only last a year though, and on the same day his contract was terminated at the Memorial Stadium, Ehmer was announced as a Gills player once more - four years later though, the 33-year-old will seek pastures new again.

Bradley Dack sends message to Max Ehmer after Gillingham exit is announced

When fit and available, Ehmer has pretty much been an ever-present for Gillingham under numerous managers in these last four years, missing just one league game in each of the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons.

However, since Gareth Ainsworth was appointed as John Coleman's successor, Ehmer has not played a single minute of football despite being available for selection, and he has played his final game for the club, with confirmation of his imminent exit also revealing that he will say farewell to fans prior to Saturday's clash with Swindon Town.

One player who has already weighed in with his reaction is Gills attacking midfielder Bradley Dack, who has taken to Instagram to share his thoughts on Ehmer's departure, labelling the defender a "legend" for all he's done for the club.

Dack himself of course returned to Gillingham last summer after a stint with Sunderland - he had been away for seven years and spent much of that time with Blackburn Rovers, but he made a triumphant comeback with Gills earlier this season, albeit he has been limited to just 18 appearances so far.

Max Ehmer exit will be sad for Gillingham fans but they have plenty of defensive options to call upon

Now standing at sixth on the list of Gillingham's all-time appearance makers, Ehmer will go down in modern-day history for the club for his committed performances.

If he wasn't going to be in Ainsworth's plans though, then it's best for all parties if the experienced centre-back moves on, and there will be surely suitors in League Two that will jump at the chance to add the ex-QPR man to their ranks.

For Gillingham though, they're well-stocked at the back, with the likes of Conor Masterson and Shadrach Ogie imperious in recent weeks, and it can't be forgotten the impact young Sam Gale has had recently.