GILLINGHAM midfiedler Simon Osborn remains confident of securing a new contract at Priestfield (Tony Hudd writes).

Meanwhile, player-manager Andy Hessenthaler has hinted that he expects to enter the transfer market next month when players’ existing contracts expire.

He explained: “Players you are interested in are contracted to other clubs until the end of June. So it’s silly to do deals this month because you will end up paying their wages.

“I’m sure that in the next couple of months there will be deals done and let’s hope that’s the case for us as well.”

* striker Leo Fortune-West has been released by newly-promoted Cardiff. The Gills Independent Supporters’ Club famously paid his £5,000 transfer fee to bring him from Stevenage in June 1995.