By Luke Cawdell

Joe Martin is hoping to impress in a Gillingham shirt after joining the club on non-contract terms until January.

The left-sided former Blackpool player (pictured), who ended a six-month spell without a club, will compete with John Nutter for the left-back spot. He came off the bench on Saturday at Macclesfield to make his Gills debut.

"When I left Blackpool I didn’t want to get into the wrong club," said the son of former West Ham player and England international Alvin Martin.

"I had a couple of offers but I didn’t want to go somewhere I might not play and I wanted to feel comfortable at a club. This is a good club for me."

After Saturday's game, he said: "I was delighted to get half an hour but the result was the main thing. When I came on at 4-1 we were comfortable and it was a great result in the end.

"It’s one step at a time for me and I have to try and get into the team first. I am still not 100 per cent match fit and once I get fit hopefully I can get into the team."

Martin spent his youth playing for West Ham and Tottenham, where he signed pro terms, before a move to Blackpool gave him the chance to taste senior football. Last season he played a handful of games on their way to promotion to the Premier League. He has spent the last three weeks training with the Gills.

"If you get the right club you are going to be on the right track," said the 22-year-old."