Alistair John will be given as long as it takes to get back to full fitness.

Gillingham manager Mark Stimson is giving the winger a trial but he knows John will need time to show if he’s up to scratch.

John, 20, was stabbed outside his home in Croydon in September, just a month after Stimson had signed him for Stevenage, following his release by Charlton.

So far John has been limited to a few brief appearances because of a hamstring injury and Stimson isn’t rushing things.

“He showed at Dover that he is way off fitness wise,” said Stimson.

“He will be first to admit that but we have chucked him in again. He has had his stabbing incident and that took a lot from his body and he’s not in physical shape yet.

“He hasn’t got a club and wants to come and train with us and he can do that, because he has got something, but it might take three months to get it back.

“If he’s willing to stick around and stick with it then we will because there could be something at the end of it. He’s not ready for the first team yet and that showed at Dover.”