Striker Cody McDonald is set to return to Gillingham on loan until the end of the season.

The Coventry City front-man trained with Gills’ first team squad at Priestfield on Tuesday and is expected to sign in time to face York on Saturday.

McDonald (pictured) was a hit with the Gills fans during a previous season-long loan spell, during the 2010/11 campaign, where he hit 25 goals in 41 games.

Twenty-six year-old McDonald joined on loan from Norwich City in a deal that saw Simeon Jackson head in the opposite direction.

McDonald picked up the supporters' player-of-the-year award but, despite that success and Gillingham's attempts to sign him permanently, he decided to join Coventry City after Norwich's promotion to the Premier League left him unwanted at Carrow Road.

His chances at Coventry, however, have become ever-more limited under current City manager Mark Robins, who has been keen to off-load McDonald, and speculation about a move to Priestfield has been mounting since the opening of the January transfer window.

He will leave League 1 Coventry after scoring six league goals in 35 appearances - 13 of which have come from the bench.

Gills boss Martin Allen has been keen to boost the Gills front-line, and recently missed out on striker Lee Hughes, after making a late bid for the former Notts County striker. He went onto join the club's League 2 title rivals Port Vale.

Picture: Barry Goodwin

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