Aaron Brown issued a stinging parting shot to Gillingham manager Mark Stimson after joining League 2 rivals Lincoln.

The midfielder criticised Stimson’s man management during a damning interview with the Lincolnshire Echo just a week after having his contract with Gillingham cancelled.

Brown said: “I remember one day he pulled me and another player aside and told us we would not be training with the first team or youths.

“So I said, ‘what are we supposed to do then?’ He said, ‘you can do what you want’. So in the end myself and this player just stood in a field. I was like, ‘well, this just isn’t football, it’s ridiculous.’

“From a coaching perspective and what he does in training with the players, he’s very good at what he does. But his man management, in terms of the way he treated myself and the other lads who are still contracted there, was just shocking.”

Brown was signed last summer during Ronnie Jepson’s spell as manager but made just six appearances under Stimson, with his last league outing coming in November.

Stimson said last week of Brown, “Aaron doesn’t want to play for me. It’s not a problem and at least he’s being honest.”