Andrew Crofts is determined to let the football do the talking as Gillingham battle for an immediate return to League 1.

The Gills skipper knows the side need a good start at Bournemouth on Saturday and after a month of pre-season he can’t wait to get involved in the games that matter.

“Hopefully the team can go a long way,” he said.

“I would like to think we can do really well but it’s easy saying that - we’ve got to actually do it.

“We need to start well. It’s always important to get off to a good start. When you’re 10-15 games into the season that’s when you have a better idea of how you’re getting on.

“When there are points to play for, that’s when it matters. Some of the pre-season results didn’t go our way and we were disappointed but we need to get that disappointment out of the way.

“Pre-season friendlies are good because you want to get your fitness up but this is where it counts when points are up for grabs.

“Bournemouth are a good side and it’s a nice place to play as the pitch is always in good condition. Both teams like to pass it and it should be a good test and hopefully we can come out on top.”