By Luke Cawdell

Saturday's goal hero Luke Rooney has praised the help given to him while on loan at Eastbourne Borough.

The 20-year-old (pictured) picked up valuable experience from the management team there and recognises the benefit the two spells at the non-league club have given him.

"They have a hand in it because I had a very good time there," he said.

"Gary Wilson (manager) and Nick Greenwood (coach) showed a lot of faith in me and played me week in, week out. I played pretty much every minute when I went there and that’s held me in good stead at Gillingham."

Rooney’s equaliser against Torquay at the weekend came in front of the travelling Gills fans, who have given the youngster plenty of support since he stepped up to senior football.

"Since day one they’ve been brilliant and I’m not sure whether it’s just the name they like," he joked.

"Hopefully it has something to do with ability as well. They jumped on me straight from the start when I came through from the youth team and they are always singing my name.

"They were going mad when I scored and to have taken so many to Torquay for a League 2 match just shows how big a club we are."

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