Gillingham first team coach Nicky Southall has spoken of his delight at the input they are receiving from experienced coach John Yems.

Yems (pictured), who was assistant manager at Exeter and has also held management roles at Crawley, Torquay and Grays, has been helping out the Gills on a non-contract basis for a number of weeks.

It is an arrangement that Southall is hoping the club can make permanent.

"He is another voice for us," said 39-year-old Southall.

"We have quite a large squad and for the manager and I to get around everyone and give them the attention you want is difficult because of the lack of numbers on the management side."

Sussex-based Yems has coached at numerous clubs, including Fulham and Millwall and was manager at Grays before being sacked in 2007. He spent time as assistant to Paul Buckle, at Exeter, and later assisted Torquay in their player recruitment.

"He is very hungry and keen and hopefully we can get something sorted out in the near future to bring him on board with us," Southall said.

"At the moment he is seeing how we are, we are seeing how he is. The boys have taken to him well and he knows a few of them from before.

"He is a great guy and we can trust him and he knows a lot of people in the game, he is well respected."