Ashley Miller returned to Hythe Town this week and manager Tim Dixon hopes he can help the striker achieve his dream of getting back to the Football League.

Miller broke into the Gillingham first-team as a 16-year-old but he made only six appearances for the Gills, who released him in March.

He started this season at Maidstone United but on Monday, Miller agreed a permanent switch to Reachfields, having previously had two loan spells with Hythe.

Dixon said: "I hope he can reinvent himself. He’s been at a decent football club and had a lot of people talking about him and I wouldn’t mind if he used us as a stepping stone to get back to where he could be. He’s got ambition, which is why he went to Maidstone in the first place.

"He’s got so much ability and I’ll be on at him all the time (to get the best out of him). Others have tried and it hasn’t worked but there’s no reason we can’t push him on a little bit more."

Dixon hopes Miller can follow in the footsteps of fellow forward Ade Yussuf, who earned a move to Dagenham & Redbridge last month on the strength of his performances for Chatham in the Ryman League.

"Things happen, you get picked up and away you go," Dixon said. "But you have to have the right attitude, carry yourself in the right way and be professional."

Miller started for Hythe on Tuesday night as they lost 2-0 at home to Whyteleafe.