Andy Hessenthaler admits he considered bringing Dover’s star striker Adam Birchall to Priestfield in the summer.

Hessenthaler took Birchall to Dover in July 2009 and he’s been a scoring sensation at the club, notching 19 so far and getting on the scoresheet in the last nine games.

The former Arsenal youngster (pictured) dropped out of the Football League after Gillingham’s current assistant manager Ian Hendon released him while he was in charge at Barnet.

Hessenthaler said: “He is a league player but he fell out of love with the game a bit. He left Barnet and Ian was the manager at the time, that was tough, but it’s all about opinions.

“I had played with him at Barnet and knew what potential he had. I knew he could murder Conference football and we got him in. I’m just delighted for the kid.

“I thought about him in the summer but he’s under contract. Imagine me trying to take him out of there as well!

“There are a few I would like to take, as there are some good players there, but I am going to get slaughtered enough as it is.”

Saturday’s game will see Hessenthaler reunited with a lot of familiar faces.

“I’m really looking forward to seeing the players I brought to the football club,” he said. “Birchall and Ross Flitney the keeper and Olly Schulz, Matt Fish and Joe Tabiri.

“There are people there who are performing and they are doing well. I just hope they get their promotion because they are a Conference Premier club and they always have been.

“They went to the bottom of non-league and I went there and enjoyed three years of winning games.

“It’s a bit unusual for me to be losing games now. That’s football. It’s great when you are winning and tough when you are losing.”

What do you think of Hessenthaler's revelation that he considered taking Birchall to the Gills with him in the summer? Have your say below.