GILLINGHAM chairman Paul Scally is preparing to step up his hunt for new strikers ahead of next season. The Gills desperately need to boost their firepower as they face up to the prospect of starting the new campaign without either first choice forwards from last season.

Football League clubs had until the weekend to agree new terms with out of contract players or else they would become free agents. Mr Scally is expecting to have talks in the coming weeks with around 20 players, mainly forwards, whose deals have expired.

He said: “I am working to a list, principally of strikers, that our manager has drawn up. We are looking for at least one, and possibly two. But I don't want to get drawn into a lot of speculation about who they might be.”

Manager Andy Hessenthaler leaves for a family holiday to Florida today and will be hoping for some news by the time he returns.

He is having to plan for next season without leading goalscorer Marlon King who is serving an 18-month prison sentence, while there are still doubts surrounding the future of Iffy Onuora who has yet to agree a new contract.