Suffolk-born Adrian Pennock has been appointed head coach at League One strugglers Gillingham, and will be joined on his staff by former Braintree Town manager Jamie Day, who has been named as a first-team coach.

Pennock, who was born in Ipswich, last managed at Forest Green in the National League, but spent a brief spell this season at Welling, where he worked as a consultant to Day who, having been sacked by Braintree, was then appointed manager of Welling in November.

Day spent six games in charge of the National South club, winning every match, before linking up with Pennock at Priestfield.

They will be joined by Steve Lovell, who will also be a first-team coach – all three men being in charge of first-team coaching and activities until the season’s end.

Pennock, who made a single appearance for Norwich City during the 1989-90 season, but made his name as an established centre-back with Gillingham and Bournemouth, replaces Justin Edinburgh in the hotseat – the former Spurs left-back leaving the Kent club in 17th, following four defeats in five.

Amongst the players at Pennock’s disposal will be erstwhile Ipswich trio Lee Martin, Jay Emmanuel-Thomas and Frank Nouble, although the former suffered a serious ankle injury in a pre-season friendly and could be out for the season.

“I am convinced they will enhance the performances of the first-team squad going forward,” said Gills’ chairman Paul Scally, whose team are 10 points off the play-offs.

“The current squad is the most expensive in the history of Gillingham Football Club, it has enormous potential and is capable of achieving great success over the remainder of the season and beyond.

“I fully appreciate this has been a difficult few days for supporters.

“However, based on the playing performance over the previous calendar year, that of 14 wins out of 48 league games, and only eight victories from 25 matches this season, I felt a change was necessary to ensure that the club achieves the best possible position it can after the final 21 fixtures of this campaign.”

Pennock will have time to work with his new squad, with Gillingham not scheduled to be in action until January 14, when they travel to Oldham in League One.