More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
Gillingham scored nine goals at the weekend but it won’t stop manager Steve Evans hunting for extra firepower.
Brandon Hanlan and Bournemouth loan striker Mikael Ndjoli are his only two senior strikers currently at the club.
He’s hoping for a couple more before Gillingham's season starts next month.
“We still need two strikers, for me,” insisted Evans after a 9-1 win over non-league side Faversham on Saturday.
He’s also looking for another defender and a left-sided player who can play further forward.
“We are trying as best we can,” he said. “We will always be in the market if something comes up at the right time and it is in the constraints.
More on the Gills
Match report as Gills go goal crazy
Manager reaction after big win
Gills look to oust director Anderson
Fans give new kit the thumbs up
“The nice thing is we are well in control of our budget, that has never been hidden by our chairman and our CEO. It’s the same as last year, there are no increases in it.”
What will help is if he can offload a couple of the squad he inherited. Two senior players who weren’t involved at the weekend were Dean Parrett and Josh Rees.
Evans said: “We are working well within our budget and have room to get three or four in.
“If two or three were to go that would help us because of the quality of player we could get in. If two or three kids moved on, it could be a little better.
“We are just saying professionally that they are not going to get minutes on the pitch this season. It’s up to them whether they want to make that decision and go.”
The Gills have a week of intensive training coming up before they travel to Folkestone on Saturday.
Evans said: “We are going to the most fantastic facility, it’s incredible.
“It’s a spa, the players will be treated magnificently but they will be tired by the end of the week.
“When we go to Folkestone the players will be travelling really tired because they are going to have a real tough week – three sessions a day, some as early as seven in the morning, but they know it.
“They are ready for it, they are prepared for it and that brings the spirit together of everyone in the camp.”
Among the goals at the weekend was winger Nathan Thomas, curling home a free-kick and netting another from distance. He’s on loan for the season but has work to do.
“Nathan is the unfittest of the group,” revealed Evans, who had to fight of the competition to land the player.
“When he was at Sheffield United he wasn’t in the main group and sometimes your fitness levels are not where you want them to be.
“He is working incredibly hard, the kid is from the north east but he hasn’t gone home. He is staying down to get the extra work with the fitness and medical team to get a little fitter.”
