Gillingham manager Martin Allen will be focusing on quality rather than quantity as he looks to improve the squad this summer.

Defensive additions are likely to be the new manager’s main priority but he is not keen on bringing players in unless they can improve what is already at the club.

Allen has been working closely with the rest of the Gills backroom team, including director of football and former boss Andy Hessenthaler, to identify transfer targets.

Allen said: "We have been on the phone and had non-stop emails to try and see what we can get.

"I have had a good long chat with Andy Hessenthaler and the chairman and they both believe we need to improve that starting 11 more so than bringing in squad players.

"We need to keep developing the young ones but we have got to get higher than eighth and to do that we need to get some better players in.

"We have chatted about with Andy and the staff here, Mark Patterson (development manager) and Darren Hare (youth manager) – everyone has contributed. It hasn’t just been the thoughts of myself and Andy."

With the club conceding so many goals last season and being short in numbers at the back, Allen has one main area of focus.

In central defence, the only experienced player is Andy Frampton, after Simon King, Garry Richards and Matt Lawrence were released.

Gillingham will take a full strength team to Dartford on Saturday as the pre-season gets into full swing.

Manager Martin Allen has few injury worries ahead of the match with the only concern being over goalkeeper Ross Flitney, who looks set to be out for up to a month. Kick-off at Princes Park is at 3pm.

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