Gillingham boss Steve Evans admits he was interested in bringing striker Brandon Hanlan back to the club before his move to weekend opponents Wycombe.

Hanlan left the Gills for Bristol Rovers last summer after rejecting a new deal at Priestfield, a move that ended with a tribunal fee in the region £150,000.

His move to Rovers didn't work out as hoped but they wanted to recoup that money. It meant that when Evans enquired about a possible return to the Gills it was no-go. In the end it was Lincoln City and Wycombe who battled it out for the 24-year-old’s signature, with Wanderers completing a deal.

Evans said: “We asked about the opportunity to Rovers way back and I think Brandon would have looked at it but Bristol Rovers wanted to recoup the fee and Wycombe could do it.”

Hanlan scored his first goal for Wanderers since his summer move in their League Cup match against Manchester City. His opener in that game was cancelled out and City went onto win 6-1.

The striker scored again on Tuesday night in the club’s EFL Trophy match against MK Dons. Hanlan has yet to score in the league for his new club.

Wanderers have another ex-Gills man in their ranks with Adebayo Akinfenwa, now 39, making 10 appearances for the club this season.

He and Cody McDonald were a decent pairing for the Gills several years ago, having had two spells at the club. Bayo is closing in on 200 league appearances for Wycombe since first joining them in 2016 in what is expected to be his final year at the club.

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