Graham Burke is looking forward to creating some happier memories at Priestfield.

His last memory of the place was relegation with Notts County at the end of the 2014/15 season.

Burke scored his first Football League goal in that match, to put County ahead in a game they needed to win, but three late goals from the Gills sent the Magpies crashing out of League 1.

New signing Burke gives Gills a different dimension, says boss Steve Lovell

Fast forward three-and-a-half-years and he’s now hoping to help the Gills avoid that same fate.

He said: “I have only played here once and it was the same, we were fighting for our lives that day. We needed a win to stay up and we were winning up until the 88th minute.

“We ended up losing 3-1. I was on loan with them at the time but it was still a hard pill to swallow.”

“It wasn’t great memories of Priestfield because I got relegated but hopefully it will be completely different this time around.”

That first league goal, which looked like it could have meant everything to County, was in the end a mere footnote.

“I can remember the goal but it was a pointless goal in the end,” he said.

“It didn’t mean anything. I haven’t been out on the (Priestfield) pitch since.”

Following relegation, the former Aston Villa trainee spent time in League 2 with County before heading back to his native Ireland and enjoying a spell with Shamrock Rovers, impressing enough to win his first two caps for his country and a move to Preston North End.

He played 15 games for the Championship side but found himself down the pecking order, which is when the Gills stepped in, finalising a loan deal on transfer deadline day.

Burke found out about Gills’ interest on the Tuesday and headed south the following day to seal the deal.

“I would like to come here and try and help the boys stay in the league,” he said.

“You can’t get away from where we are in the league at the moment but to come down and try to help the team stay in League 1, that was a factor in the decision to join.

“There are 16 games left in the league. This season is going quick and we are in a scrap but we have to try and pick up points. That is what I am here to try and help the boys do.

“The manager said to me how he wants to play and how he sees me playing in his team.

“I’m coming in here to try and get more regular game-time. I probably wouldn’t have played any more games for Preston for the rest of the season so I would have been sitting around.

“I didn’t really want to do that and then just come in and train every day. I wanted to go and play some football.”

It was an encouraging debut for Burke, starting and finishing the game against Coventry last weekend.

“It was great to start,” said the 25-year-old.

“I haven’t played a lot of football over the season. Before I was working the whole week and knowing I wasn’t going to play but working in the week and having a game as a footballer, it makes you look forward to it.

“All I want to do is play games. We were unlucky not to win the game. I think we had the best chances, but to come away from home and to get a point, it was a good result for us.”