Peter Taylor has only one thing on his mind when he faces old pal Andy Hessenthaler tomorrow.

Taylor is looking forward to crossing managerial swords with the man who first succeeded him at the Gillingham helm.

But his eyes are fixed purely on the three-point prize on offer at Valley Parade.

“We need a win this week no matter who we’re playing,” said the City chief.

“We could be playing Rock Cake United for all I care and we still need to win.”

The two bosses first crossed paths in 1986 when Hessenthaler played under Taylor at Dartford.

The midfielder was a mainstay in Taylor’s promoted Gillingham side in 2000 before he stepped up to combine both roles when the manager went to Premier League outfit Leicester.

Taylor always sensed Hessenthaler, who returned in the summer for his second spell in the Priestfield hot-seat, was proper management material.

“He thinks hard about the game and every day in training he’d give everything he had,” said Taylor.

“Andy got released as a youngster at Charlton Athletic but then had a brilliant career.

“That’s why he’s a name I always mention when I’m letting young scholars go. I use him as an example of not dropping your head and going out and proving me wrong.”

Hessenthaler has inevitably picked up some tips from his old gaffer, so City are braced for facing some familiar moves – especially at free-kicks and corners – where Gillingham pose a threat.

Taylor said: “I’ve played against Andy’s teams in pre-season friendlies at Dover but never against Gillingham.

“But I’ve seen his teams and there are a lot of set-pieces I know quite well. We’re ready for that.

“I’m not sure if it’s an advantage, although I hope so, but I know they work extremely hard at set-pieces so it will be a test for us.”

Gillingham old boy Michael Flynn is poised to make his first appearance of the season as a substitute. Simon Ramsden has also got the all-clear for City after his calf injury but misses out again because of a bout of illness.