Callum Reilly believes Gillingham is the place to bring out the best in him - and his wife agrees.

He put to pen to paper on a two year deal at Priestfield earlier this month after leaving relegated Bury.

Reilly had offers elsewhere but after an earlier loan stint at the club, he knew just what the Gills and their manager Steve Lovell had to offer. The decision wasn't just down to him, however.

He said: “I am newly married so you have to factor in more things, it is not just your own decision. My wife is very supportive, she knew how much I enjoyed it here and that was a massive factor.

“If you enjoy your football you are likely to play your best football that is the aim. The gaffer was a massive factor and seeing what it was like before that sold it for me

“If has gone somewhere else I wouldn’t have known the manager or the lads and it would have taken longer to settle and to get used to everyone. The fans played a massive part and they were brilliant.

“I am enthusiastic about the season ahead, 100%, with the group we have got.

“If we can get a bit of fine-tuning done in pre-season I am sure we can have a great start and that is the key. You need to get yourself a good start to the year and that gives you a platform to push on.

“I am optimistic we can cause teams problems with the pace we have got and the energy in the team, hopefully that will work out well for us.”

Working for Lovell again was also a big selling point.

The 24-year-old said: "His man management has been really good and talking to him on a day to day basis I get on well with him.

"It is about enjoying your football and I enjoyed it last year. Sometimes that is rare to find, to enjoy football."