By Luke Cawdell

Barry Fuller is hoping for a bumper points haul this Christmas to make up for
a frustrating one the year before.

The Gills skipper (pictured) is on the hunt for six points from the two festive games and he’s determined to make the most of the period after missing the last one through suspension.

It was a sending-off against Boxing Day opponents Brentford that led to a three-game ban, just before last Christmas, and he started the new year in hospital after contracting pneumonia.

The 25-year-old said: "The last time we played them it didn’t end great for me.

"I had already been booked and then I got a straight red. The suspension meant I missed the whole Christmas period.

"I was suspended for the Aston Villa FA Cup game and ended up being out for eight games after picking up pneumonia."

The Gills follow up the Brentford game with a trip to Exeter on Bank Holiday Monday.

Fuller said: "We don’t want to look too far ahead but a couple of wins can take us into the top half, although we know that a couple of defeats could see us in the bottom four and in the dogfight.

"Our aim this season has been to avoid that dogfight and get as far away from it as possible. That’s our target."