Gillingham’s summer signing Elliott Nevitt believes he’s at a club whose ambitions match his own.

The 27-year-old forward turned professional three years ago after impressing at non-league level, rising from Sunday League football with success at every step.

Nevitt experienced defeat at Wembley in May with Crewe Alexandra in the League 2 play-off final and now hopes his switch to Gillingham will give him the platform to continue his move through the football pyramid.

“I thought this was the perfect decision for me,” said the striker, who made his first appearance for the Gills against Millwall in last Saturday’s friendly.

“The ambition is to get promoted. Even though I don’t want to just keep going on about promotion, we know what we’ve got to do - we have got to work very hard because I know how hard it is to get there.

“To just miss out on promotion (with Crewe) was so heartbreaking, when the final whistle went I was devastated and it hurt so much. Hopefully, this year we can go up automatically.

“[The ambition] is why I came here. When I spoke to the owners everything was great, that is what I want, I want promotion, I want to be fighting for stuff, I want to be scoring, I want us to be doing well as a team, that is why you play football, to win.”

Nevitt turned pro at Tranmere after excelling in the Liverpool non-league scene and after 18 months there he went to Crewe, scoring 18 goals last season.

Winger Aaron Rowe has also joined the Gills from Crewe and the two combined against Millwall with the best chance for the home side. Only a good save denied the new Gillingham striker.

“I hit it well,” he recalled. “The keeper made a good save but usually I would back myself to score them.

“I enjoy playing with Aaron, he is a very good player, he has the ability and when he gets it I will always be ready.

“I have settled really well and it helps with Aaron being here, he is a good mate of mine. We came in together the first day and now we come in on our own and all the lads are nice and we get along.”

Having worked so hard to make it as a professional, Nevitt is a player who will be giving his all this season to succeed.

He said: “I embrace it and try and just enjoy every day of being a professional. You don’t know how long it will last, do you? It is why I take every day as a positive.

“I am so lucky to do this and I never take advantage of it.

“I know the club means everything to the fans here and they will see when I am on that pitch it means everything to me. I think they will take to me.

“Every time I go onto the pitch I give my all, you can see the way I play, how aggressive and how much it means to me, and every time I go onto that pitch I will always do that.”

The Gills are back in action this Saturday at Priestfield against Championship side Watford in their second match of pre-season.

Nevitt said: “That will be tough but those are the games we want. We don’t want easy games, we want them tough because we want to be ready for that first game of the season.”