Man-of-the-moment Shaun Williams would love to be at Gillingham for a promotion push next season.

Williams was Gills’ star man on Saturday - scoring a late winner against Carlisle to cap another standout performance.

He’s out of contract in the summer and has already started picking up his coaching badges but there appears to be plenty left in the tank. Some late lung-busting charges on Saturday was testament to the 36-year-old’s energy, making a mockery of any pre-match fitness doubts.

“I feel good,” he said, after Saturday’s win. “I didn’t think I would play, due to the fact of it being three games in a week, but it came good didn’t it?

“It’s either me or Timmy (Dieng) who go (forward) the majority of the time (to attack from midfield). Tim was tiring, he was like ‘go on, go on’, because I had a bit of a spring in my step. Just before the goal I got felled by the centre-half and then the next opportunity it went forward again and Timmy was like, ‘go on, I’m knackered’ and lucky it fell to me in the right area. I caught it so well and luckily it went in.

“It doesn’t get much better than that, we had a good solid performance for the 90 minutes and then luckily one fell for us at the right time. If it was on my right foot it probably would have cleared the stand, luckily it was on my left and I caught it well.”

Regarding having another season in him. “100%,” he said. “I feel fine, I feel great, I am doing the right things off the pitch and trying to get the rewards on it, if I can keep doing that I will go for as long as I can.

“We will see how it goes really. I have played an awful amount of football this year which I didn’t think I would, in terms of the amount of games, I am just trying my hardest when I can.”

Asked if he could stay at the Gills, he was quite clear.

“Yes, most definitely,” said the Irishman. “I love the culture the the gaffer has brought to the club and everything behind the scenes, it seems like the right place to be.”

Manager Neil Harris is a key reason he came in the first place, having played under him previously at Millwall.

Harris was hoping to bring Williams into Priestfield when he first took over at Gills but an injury scuppered that deadline-day move in January last year.

Williams was playing for Portsmouth in a game against Charlton on the final day of the transfer window in the 2021/22 season. Harris had just taken over that day. The midfielder was keen on a move to Gills but fractured two vertebrae in his back during the game that night.

“I was like, ‘oh!’” Williams recalled. “He (the manager) said he would try and get it done in the summer and he stuck to his word. I had options but it was always going to be with Neil.”

Williams did arrive in the summer and has grown into his role at the Gills, taking over the on-field captaincy since January in the absence of Stuart O’Keefe and thriving off it, leading by example with his calmness on the pitch and professionalism off it.

“Probably my main philosophy for myself is my professionalism and just to try and encourage and help others to be the best they can be,” he said.

Speaking of his boss, he said: “I can’t speak highly enough of him. He is a great man.

"I have had personal incidents in the past, with my children and that, and he has been second to none, whatever I needed he was able to provide it, time off, no problem, your needs come first. As soon as I come in to work it is a work relationship but if I need to pick up the phone I can.”

Williams ended a three-and-a-half year run without a goal when he scored his first for the Gills at the start of February. He’s followed that up with goals against Tranmere and now Carlisle.

He said: “I wasn’t worried (about not scoring) because it’s a team game isn’t it? There is nothing individual about me. If I score, great, if someone else scores, brilliant. I am all for the team.

“There is no better feeling than scoring and if the team wins it’s even better.”