Back-up goalkeeper Steve Arnold is likely to be heading out on loan soon.

He has been Gillingham’s third-choice keeper since Steve Lovell took over as manager, preferring Stuart Nelson to be No.2 to Tomas Holy.

Nelson was unavailable last weekend for personal reasons but is set to return for Saturday’s FA Cup clash against Carlisle.

The former Dover keeper joined the Gills in the summer on a one-year deal but his only two appearances for the club have come in the Checkatrade Trophy.

Lovell said: “Steve has been brilliant. It has been good having the three around but we have Tom Hadler out on loan (at Gloucester City) and we could always get him back if we needed to.

“I would like Steve to play football. We have tried a couple of clubs to get him out on loan and he is happy with that.

“There have been personal things happening for Steve and he can’t go at the moment but when that is all clear we will get him out on loan because we have Nels and Tom and Tomas. We need to get Steve out on loan playing.”

He could be a target for former Gills boss Ady Pennock, now at National League side Barrow.

Pennock signed him when at the club and also had him at Forest Green Rovers.