Josh Parker is keen to repay the faith shown in him by Gillingham boss Ady Pennock.

The forward was snapped up on a free last season by Pennock, giving the 26-year-old a new focus after a challenging time at former club Red Star Belgrade.

A contract dispute with Red Star led to them withholding his papers for a considerable time.

Parker had been close to quitting football before Pennock showed an interest and he now has a new lease of life.

He said: “The manager gave me almost a second chance, after what happened with my other club and not being able to play for almost a year and a half because of that situation.

“He showed that faith in me. It made it easy for me to decide (to sign on again this summer) because I wanted to return that favour.”

Parker has been a big fan of Pennock’s since they first became acquainted.

The forward said: “He is similar to me. He is spiritual and I have never met a manager like him. He is about positive energy and that is how I like to live my life. I have that respect for him."

Parker showed the attitude and desire that Pennock craved last season.

“I was eager to show something more and that I wanted that opportunity,” Parker said.

“He could sense it was genuine. I near enough had quit football, I had no power over signing for a new team, because my old team wouldn’t give me my transfer clearance and they had my career in their hands.

“When you go a year and a half without football you are kind of a nobody. It’s not that often you can go a year and a half without football and then step back into League 1 football at a place like Gillingham. That was a blessing."

Read the full story in Thursday's Medway Messenger.