Mark Stimson is ready to raid the youth team again this year as he eyes up the best of the club’s home grown talent.

The Gillingham manager wasn’t afraid to pick teenagers last season and this coming League 2 campaign will be no different.

Stimson has reduced the average age of the Gills squad to 24 – three years younger than under previous manager Ronnie Jepson – and he is keen to keep his side focused by turning to the youngsters.

"The youth are massively important at any club," said Stimson. "You just have to look at Manchester United and how many players they’ve brought through into the first team.

"They could have earned millions by selling them. At our level, if you get a couple in every year then that’s a great return. I’ve told the young players that if they think they can play better in a position than what I’ve already got, then they can try and prove that to me. If they prove it, then they can play."

Stimson showed last season his attitude to the younger generation as he plucked Luke Freeman straight from the under-16s and handed him a debut in the FA Cup match at Barnet – making him the youngest ever Gills player at 15 years and 233 days.

It was a move which attracted the Premiership scouts and eventually a cash windfall for the Gills after his sale to Arsenal.