Danny Spiller and Cody McDonald (behind) celebrate at Lincoln Pic: Barry Goodwin

Danny Spiller has backed the club’s ambitions in trying to persuade Cody McDonald to stay at Gillingham permanently.

The Gills midfielder took questions from fans live on KentOnline during Monday night and revealed how keen the fellow players were in seeing the club’s 24-goal leading scorer sticking around.

Spiller said: "Obviously he just looks like he can score in any game and without him we wouldn’t have the amount of points on the board that we do

"We are doing our absolute best and I sit next to him in the changing room. I tell him every day that he is my favourite player."

McDonald joined the Gills on loan at the start of the season from Norwich City and he has become a big hit at the club.

"I hadn’t heard an awful lot about him," admitted Spiller, when McDonald first arrived.

"I was pleasantly surprised and so let’s hope we can keep him."

Gillingham chairman Paul Scally has been asked by manager Andy Hessenthaler to negotiate a deal with Norwich to keep him once his season-long loan deal ends.

Watch a replay of Monday’s live Q&A session by clicking the link here.