Gillingham director of football Kenny Jackett is on a mission to improve the club’s homegrown numbers.

The Gills often went with a player short in their matchday squad last season as they were unable to meet the Football League’s requirement to have at least one homegrown player in the 18-man selection.

Gillingham’s decision to run an informal B team this season is a step in the right direction towards bridging the gap between the first team and junior ranks.

Players coming through the youth team into the senior side count as homegrown but the Gills have struggled to find suitable players in recent seasons. Jack Tucker’s departure to MK Dons last summer wasn’t followed up by another fresh face on the conveyor belt.

Tucker was one of the best young talents to emerge from the Gills in recent years. There are hopes the likes of Joe Gbode, Josh Chambers and the handful of newly-turned professionals can make the transition and Jackett is determined to help the club bring players through.

“It has to change,” he said. “We need to improve that and we feel running a B team can help us. It can provide a pathway.

“I think just running the youth policy up to 18 now is slightly outdated. You have to run it up to 21 to give people every opportunity.

“As well as your own players who may come through from 13 or younger, there are certain cut off points at the big clubs where they release players, 14, 16, 18, just after first year pro, it gives you the opportunity to then take one or two of those that you think maybe are not quite ready, or you wouldn't necessarily trust.

“There maybe a younger player you aren’t certain of but still want to sign that player, they might get there along the way, it is about a balance. You can’t have all older players and can’t have totally unproven.

“League 2 is quite specialist, once you get into the season, there is a certain knowledge to winning games and way that you have to game manage, you have to have a fair degree of experience around but you also need some youth and enthusiasm bubbling underneath that as well.

“If we can create that with our B team/extension of our youth policy then we think that will supplement the club.

“Joe Gbode played a few games last year, but other than that there was no other boys around and I want to build that back up as well and take responsibility for that.”

Gillingham will arrange B team matches on days when there are no first team fixtures and with no constraints over league commitments, they are free to pick and choose their opposition.

The club have expanded their facilities, with the Star Meadow Complex added to the training facilities. An additional physio has also been hired and four of last year’s scholars have signed pro deals.

Matty Macarthur, Sam Gale, Alex Giles and Ronald Sithole will all now hopefully get a better shot at making it to the first team, with an added level of support. Ike Orji, Josh Chambers and young goalkeeper Taite Holtam should also benefit, along with the best of the club’s emerging youth players.