Simon Royce beat off the competition to land a coaching role at Gillingham despite previously threatening to knock the manager out.

Gills boss Steve Evans shrugged off a touchline bust-up with Royce and was happy to hand him the job as the club’s new full-time goalkeeping coach.

Royce, a promotion winner with Gillingham as a player, joined last week as the club's full-time goalkeeping coach.

Evans said: “I knew Roycey from playing against my teams, whether that was at Southend or Gillingham, then as goalkeeping coach at Brentford.

“He threatened to knock me out one day. These things get heated on the sidelines but we quickly smiled at each other and laughed it off.

“I love that passion and determination to win and that heat of the battle thing, so I had no problem with that.”

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Royce started work this week but didn’t need introducing to Gills’ new No.1 keeper. He’s already coached Jack Bonham at Brentford.

“That was a big factor, it was massive,” said Evans. “He worked well with Jack and helped develop him.

“He helped develop some of their younger goalkeepers and Brentford are getting their rewards now.

“More importantly, when I met him, he bought into that work ethic, he comes across as a real good guy. The two or three references I took up with previous managers he worked with were the same as how I found him. I was delighted he accepted and so was the chairman.”

Royce helped the Gills to promotion, winning at Wembley in the 2009 League 2 play-off final.

“He wants to come back and help the club progress,” Evans said. “He tells me he had a brilliant relationship with the Rainham End and that will do for me. You have to work hard to earn that respect and I am sure they will be singing his name again.”

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