GILLINGHAM’S Nicky Southall is having to wait for a new deal after manager Stan Ternent put talks on the back-burner.

Southall said he was anxious to tie up a new deal as soon as possible with around 15 players out of contract at the end of the season.

He said: “I’ve got a wife and three children and I need to know before the end of the season really.

“It’s not a nice time for me personally and I have to give everything on the field and try that little bit harder to impress whether that will be here or somewhere else.”

But Ternent insisted he had put discussions off until the Gills’ Championship status is clearer.

He said: “The players are in the driving seat and in an ideal world we’d have the contracts sorted out now and unless they sign a dual contract we can’t do anything.

“We can talk but it will be put on the back-burner for the time being.”