Gillingham midfielder Stuart Thurgood has plenty to prove and has already returned to pre-season training.

The 26-year-old midfielder was shipped out on loan to non-league Grays last term and is working hard trying to impress.

Thurgood played 12 times for the Gills before being loaned out, but his desire to make a better impression next season hasn’t gone unnoticed.

“He’s done more training than anyone else,” said Gills manager Mark Stimson. “He’s been in every day as he’s desperate to prove he is capable.

“He only came in last year and he did okay but we had extra bodies in when Kevin Maher came.

“He’s come in with a clean bill of health this year. He is desperate to play football and isn’t the sort to sit around and draw his money. He wants to play and that gives him a big buzz.”

Thurgood re-joined Grays, who had sold him to Gillingham in November last year, and played 13 times at the back end of last season.