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Summer signing Stuart O’Keefe hasn’t joined the Gills to take part in another relegation battle.
He believes that the Gillingham side Steve Evans is putting together could spring a surprise in League 1 this season.
Few outside of the towns will be expecting anything other than a scrap for survival at Priestfield but that’s not the way the former Cardiff player is thinking.
O’Keefe, who joined this summer after leaving Cardiff, said: “I feel at home already and hopefully we can grow as a team and a unit and achieve something this year.
“I don’t think there is much difference at League 1 level between the top and the bottom and we saw last year how many teams could’ve gone down, in the last few weeks.
“There is no reason we can’t put a run together and surprise teams. Nobody is expecting us to be anywhere near the play-offs, we know that. The pressure is off us and we just have to be professional, do it right and beat teams.
“We are not here just to hang around League 1 like we have done in previous years. We want to actually achieve something and for people to be talking about Gillingham again.
“If we can be hard to beat and make Priestfield a bit of a fortress there is no reason why we can’t be in the top half and pushing for the play-offs. It doesn’t take much to get a bit of confidence, go on a run and surprise a few people.
“Nobody is going to back us this year and that could work in our favour, I think we will frighten a few teams.
“The manager hasn’t come here just to hang around League 1, he wants to achieve, he wants people to be talking about Gillingham again, he has a good record of getting teams very competitive at this level and there is a good mixture of boys who have come in.
“Everyone will work together to try and push Gillingham up the table and get good times back again because it has been a bit dull, just hanging around the bottom half of League 1 and flirting with relegation.
“I think the fans want to see a bit of excitement, they want to come to Priestfield and enjoy watching us and enjoying seeing us win games, which is what it is all about.”
O’Keefe scored the opening goal on Saturday in a 3-1 win over Charlton.
He said: “It’s always nice to score and have an impact on the game like that, especially against quality opposition and hopefully I can bring that to my game this season.”
The 28-year-old described himself as an “old-school number eight” and will be key to disrupting opposition teams next season. He hopes his experience will also be helpful to the squad this season.
He said: “I have been at numerous clubs, played at higher levels and I want to bring that experience to the group.
“There are a lot of good players here but a lot of young players and they might need guidance or a kick up the backside and hopefully I can help them on and off the pitch.
“We all want the same thing and that’s to get Gillingham as far up the table as possible and as a unit, we can do something this year, I really do think that.”
