NEW Gillingham boss Stan Ternent has revealed former manager Andy Hessenthaler will have a vital role in the club's attempts to avoid relegation from the Championship.

Hessenthaler stepped down as player-boss last month with the club 23rd in the table, the position they still occupy, four points adrift of safety.

Ternent arrived at Priestfield with assistant Ronnie Jepson but has made it clear Hessenthaler would be consulted frequently throughout the remainder of the campaign.

"Andy will be involved, and I will be leaning on him heavily," Ternent said.

"Player-coach Iwan Roberts will also remain on the staff, so the arrival of Ronnie and I will not change anything.

"I still see Andy as an essential part of the set-up here."

Ternent has signed a deal until the end of the current campaign, with the option of extending it by a further two seasons.

But assistant Jepson insisted he and the former Bury and Burnley manager - who has never suffered relegation as a manager - were not intending to quit Gillingham if the club drop into League One.

"We have not come down here for a two-week break,"Jepson said. "But we will not be happy about going down. If you are in the Championship, you want to stay there."