Gillingham midfielder Billy Bingham has had an injury-hit season – but his latest omission was down to his wife.

She thought she was going into labour just as the team were preparing to head off for their Easter Monday fixture at Bradford.

Bingham was in manager Steve Lovell’s starting XI but was sent home for the expected birth of their first child before they departed.

“He was in the team to start but I told him to be with his wife,” said Lovell.

“She thought her waters had broken on the way to the ground and so I told him to get home and get himself sorted.”

Last month Gills’ stand-in captain Max Ehmer was left in a quandary after

his partner gave birth to their second child as he was heading up to Fleetwood. He opted to remain with the squad for the match.

Illness, meanwhile, got the better of Dean Parrett and ruled him out of contention for the match at Valley Parade.

Leo Da Silva Lopes did play, having missed two games himself because of a bug, but he went off

after 70 minutes with fatigue.

Barry Fuller limped off in the same game following a heavy challenge but he tweeted afterwards that he was okay.

He should be available to face former club Charlton this weekend.

Graham Burke has been missing recently with a foot infection but he was expected back in training this week. It leaves Callum Reilly as the only player out injured.