Gillingham will host Watford at the Priestfield. Picture by Ady Kerry

Former Barnet boss became bookies’ favourite overnight to take on Gillingham job.

Martin Allen who overnight has become the bookies favourite to take on the vacant Gillingham manager’s job would not be drawn on speculation linking him to the post.

The former Barnet manager who kept them up on the last day of the season appeared from nowhere in the betting stakes yesterday afternoon to become favourite ahead of the much-fancied former Gillingham coach Mark Robson, being priced at 6/4.

And today Skybet priced him at 1/1 to take over from Andy Hessenthaler at Priestfield.

When asked whether he had applied, and if he was interested in the job, he said: “I have nothing to say, god bless you and have a good weekend.”

Allen started the first of his three spells as manager at Underhill in 2003, and has since gone on to manage Brentford, MK Dons, Leicester, Cheltenham and Notts County.

He took over as Barnet manager in April this year, and oversaw their last three games, winning two of them to keep the club in the football league on the last day of the season.