MARK STIMSON has defended his policy of looking to non-league football for the players to salvage Gillingham’s season.

The Gills boss signed midfielder Stuart Thurgood from Grays as well as Stevenage pair John Nutter and Adam Miller all in loan deadline day moves on Thursday.

Stimson had made Thurgood his skipper at Grays and knows all about Miller and Nutter from his time as Stevenage boss.

But he denied it was a case of jobs for the boys.

He said: "I’m not doing the old pals’ act. I am bringing in players who I believe can win matches for Gillingham Football Club.

"It’s good to have familiar faces around you and people you know you can trust on the pitch.

"If I didn’t believe they could perform at this level I wouldn’t try and bring them to the club."

Gills v Hartlepool match report and pictures on this website on Saturday and in Monday's Medway Messenger