Martin Allen's policy with injuries last season saved Gillingham around £50,000 in medical bills.

The manager implemented a plan whereby he became the first point of call for players who picked up injuries and illnesses.

Allen also refused to send players for hospital scans unless it was clear that an injury was serious.

It was a policy that left Gills chairman Paul Scally with extra funds and he was thrilled.

Mr Scally said: “I am hugely impressed. We’ve gone from a culture where every player was going under the scanners and having MRI scans and our medical bill shot through the roof at way over £75,000 a year. This year we have managed to have less than £25,000 worth of medical bills.

“Players have been predominately fit most of the season. Why is that?

“Is it due to the medical team that we had beforehand, which has been changed, to do with a different culture in physios, different brain factors on players? It is a mixture of all sorts of things.

“People are here to play football and a lot of injuries can develop in the mind. It is fundamental that our medical bill has gone down by about 85%, which is massive and that it is all part of the Martin Allen culture.”