Manager Mark Bonner has explained the thinking behind recalling defender Sam Gale from his loan spell at non-league Chelmsford City.

The 20-year-old has been a big hit with the Clarets, who play in the National South, two levels below the Gills. That loan followed time with both Sheppey United and Hastings United last season.

Gillingham’s first-team boss Bonner has already shown he’s prepared to use youth in the team, handing Harry Webster his first league appearance last weekend and making Joe Gbode a regular in the side this season.

Gale could be another to have a role to play in Gillingham’s senior side but Bonner wants to see what the player has to offer more closely. It’s why they have decided to end his loan spell early.

Bonner said: “Right now, it's a really busy period over Christmas. I think the upside to loans is you go and play a lot of football, senior football. The downside is we don't see you and we don't get to work with you.

“He's done really well. We want to see where his progress is at. We want him around us. We want him training and his challenge is getting in squads and getting in the team.

“If somewhere down the line that doesn't happen, then obviously a loan is another option for him in the new year. But between now and whenever that is, his aim is to train, to drive training, to try and get in the team, to try and contribute to squads and to show us how much progress he's made.”

Following his departure from Chelmsford, the Essex club said on X: “A massive thank you to Sam for all of his efforts in the Clarets shirt, and best of luck for the future!”

Gale added his own message on social media, writing: Thank you to everyone at Chelmsford City for making this loan spell a great experience and most importantly thank you to all you Clarets fans. Incredible support every week.”

Fellow youngster Webster played for the Gills against Salford, starting that match in what was his first EFL appearance.

It was a game the Gills needed to win, after back-to-back defeats and plenty of criticism, but Bonner wasn’t afraid to turn to a young player to help them out. He replaced Remeao Hutton who had been ever-present on the right of defence before that.

Bonner said: “We made loads of changes to the team and the squad. We won, so it must be right. If we lost, it would have been stupid. I don't really worry too much.

“We picked him for all the reasons that he showed in the game. He played a really good game and credit to him, because when you haven't played for so long in the team and it's the sort of day it is and the team's in a bad moment, that isn't easy, but he's fairly unflappable, which is a really good quality to have.

“I was really pleased with his level and with the others that played. It was so obvious to see a marked intensity level in comparison to the game before and a purpose about us, a desire and a willingness to go and get a result.

“Sometimes you have to make some big calls and some big changes to spark a big reaction. That's what it did.”

Webster will now be hoping to keep the shirt this weekend for their game at MK Dons.

“It's the same with anybody,” said Bonner.

“If you get in the team, you've got to hold down the shirt and that's probably the disappointment. Our inconsistency has meant it's really hard to pick the same team. Sometimes injuries, sometimes performance, sometimes tactical decisions that I make.

“But for every player, it's like, ‘come and make us a good team, come and make us a winning team’ and play so well that the shirt becomes your shirt.

“There aren't many that can say that at the moment, or have said that over the last period of time.

“Turn the screw a little bit and show that mentality and consistency that will get you in this team all the time and make us a winning team. That's what we're all here for.”

Young striker Harry Bridle has also returned to the Gills after a month’s loan at Herne Bay.