by Luke Cawdell

Danny Kedwell knows just how much the team’s current form is going down with the locals.

The Gillingham-born frontman has hit eight goals so far this season to help the club rise to the top of League 2.

"Everywhere I go the fans are buzzing," said the Gills’ leading scorer.

"Obviously I know a lot of fans and they are excited and can’t wait for Saturday, just like us.

"It’s a great atmosphere out there for the football club at the minute."

And it’s the same inside the changing room, said Kedwell.

"It’s different class," he said. "When you are sitting at the top it’s nice and all the boys get on. There is no back stabbing and everyone is backing each other. Sitting at the top makes it even better."

And Kedwell is enjoying his role as ‘club enforcer’ – a label attributed to him by the manager.

If a situation needs sorting in the dressing room, Allen turns to Kedwell.

"I like that role, of course, and the gaffer knows I like it," he said.

"It’s good to help the gaffer like that and if he asks me to do something, I will do it."

Despite Kedwell’s fine start to the season, even he is not immune from the manager’s rotation policy.

And with new man Robbie Findley arriving ahead of the Port Vale game last week, it left Kedwell sitting on the bench.

"It’s all about winning games and it is good for the gaffer to have six quality strikers to choose from," he said. "We are all good strikers and as long as we are all scoring it doesn’t matter.

"We are playing well at the minute with whatever team the manager chooses.

"It’s a brilliant achievement that we can go out and even if we had a team sheet where every player was changed, it would still be a great
side."

The 29-year-old, who is already closing in on the 14 goals he scored during the last campaign, added: "I have to make sure I don’t get too excited about it and keep scoring goals and keep winning for the team."

Read more from Kedwell in Friday's Medway Messenger as he reacts to Adam Birchall's loan move to Dartford.