Playing is all that matters to defender John Egan.

The 21-year-old snubbed Championship football in the summer because all he wanted to do was play.

With 10 games under his belt and a growing reputation at Gillingham, he has no reason to regret the decision.

After helping the Gills to their fourth clean sheet of the season on Saturday, he said: “In the summer when I got released by Sunderland I had a few options. As soon as I talked to the (Gillingham) manager he told me I would get a chance to play regular football.

“I missed about a year of football with a broken leg not so long ago and I was just getting back to playing.

“I went to Southend on loan and it got me into the football mode. Playing games was the biggest factor in my decision in the summer.

“The manager told me I would improve and he would work with me on the training ground and it has been great so far. Hopefully it can continue.”

Egan’s previous first team experience came during loan spells at Crystal Palace, Sheffield United, Bradford and Southend.

Read the full story in Monday's Medway Messenger