Keeping everyone happy at Gillingham is getting harder admits the head coach.

Josh Walker arrived on loan at Gillingham on Thursday as the second new recruit of the January transfer window, coming a week after Remeao Hutton signed on a permanent deal.

With the luxury of a fully-fit squad, Gills’ head coach Stephen Clemence now has a handful of senior players who can’t get into the matchday squad.

Hutton’s arrival saw fellow right-back Cheye Alexander left out last weekend while forward Jayden Clarke was also missing and may find it even harder to get a game following Walker’s arrival.

Clemence - who now has a senior squad of 23 - has also said they are still hopeful of doing more business in the remaining week of the transfer window.

Lewis Walker has recently joined Woking as he couldn’t break into the first-team.

Others with little action of late include Robbie McKenzie, Max Clark and Shaun Williams. The latter - Gillingham’s club captain - hasn’t played a league game under Clemence but at 37 he might not feel a move away will be of any benefit.

For the younger players, however, they may be looking at their options.

Clemence said: “If players come in, generally you do see players move out in a different direction and that is to balance books sometimes but also it is being fair to them and their careers to make sure they are getting playing time because there are obviously some players who aren’t featuring on the bench.

“It is very difficult to pick a substitutes’ bench never mind the starting line-up.

“You never want to have loads and loads of players because it becomes difficult to train them. You generally want 20 outfield players plus the goalkeepers so that you can work on shape etcetera. If you start going over that number then you are leaving two or three players out who are having to do a different session. That’s not ideal.

“In my position, I just want to have as many good players as possible and I think that gives you the best chance.

“It is very difficult to keep them all happy with these players that are in that situation where they might not be playing but I try and treat everyone correctly and treat everyone right around the place.

“I have a number of good players here and a few of them now play in the same position. Unfortunately some players will be disappointed because the bench is difficult to pick too.

“If you are in this job, unfortunately you do have to disappoint people but it is a better problem to have than not having enough players because that is not easy as well and some football clubs do face that problem, but now we have a strong squad and we have to try and use it the best we can.”

For those not currently playing, however, Clemence knows things can change quickly if they keep working hard.

He said: “It is not easy if you have to pull the boys in and tell them they are not involved at the weekend, it is hard for them, but obviously, it has to be done.

“You can’t ignore them, you have to give them your reasons why and you have to keep them going because there are a lot of games coming up and football can change like that, in the blink of an eye, all of a sudden from not being involved you are back in the starting line-up.

“The boys that aren’t involved have to keep training properly and be ready for when their time comes and when it does come they have to be ready to take their opportunity.”