By Luke Cawdell

Gillingham manager Mark Stimson is backing injured Gillingham defender Simon King to return before the end of the season.

A recent visit by King to a specialist left doubts over whether last season’s player of the year will have any part in this campaign.

King (pictured) has been sidelined with an ankle injury since pre-season but Gills boss Stimson said: "There’s an outside chance (he’ll miss the rest of the season) and we’ve been told by the specialist to keep working.

"We are going along the right lines, but
it’s going to be a longer process than we first thought.

"There’s an outside chance, but if anyone has a chance in this group I would back him and Barry Fuller to prove people wrong and get out there and play.

"Fingers crossed he will because he is the best left-sided centre-half in this division. We’ve been fortunate because Matt Fry has come in and more than held his own."

Gillingham will be in contact with West Ham this week to extend Fry’s loan for another month. His current deal runs out after Saturday’s game at Huddersfield.