Gillingham’s fine form since January is pulling them clear of relegation and midfielder Alex MacDonald believes that momentum will be key next season.

MacDonald is out of contract this summer and would love to be a part of it when the Gills go all-out for promotion from League 2 when they kick of a new campaign.

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The 32-year-old said: “When I first went to (former club) Oxford they were in a similar position, it was about staying away from the relegation zone and trying to prepare for the next season.

“We took a massive amount of momentum into the next season (with five wins and three draws from their final eight games of the 2014/15 campaign). It catapulted us into the next season without making too many changes with players.

“It is something I have been drilling into the players, trying to make sure it is not just about staying safe but making a big push at the end of the season to take into next season.

“We are not taking our foot off the gas at any point, it’s still a very strange league, things have happened in the past. Nothing is over until it is mathematically over. Even when we get across the line we have to make sure this club runs into the next season with a massive amount of momentum and hopefully take this club into a successful and positive season next year.”

Oxford finished runners-up in League 2 the following year. MacDonald sees a similar story unfolding at Priestfield.

He said: “I have been part of projects, part of successful teams in the past and when you are at the wrong side of 30 you are desperate to do well and earn your promotions and be a part of something successful because those are the most exciting and best times of your career.

“I can certainly see every single characteristic that I saw in Oxford United when I joined there, at Gillingham. I will be desperate to stay but it’s probably not the right time to talk about that.

“It is out of my hands, I can only do what I can do on the grass and fingers crossed we will sort something out.”

Gills boss Neil Harris will no doubt have in mind who he wants to stay to help with their promotion push next season but confirming the club’s status in League 2 is top priority - even if right now it seems a sure thing.

MacDonald said: “We are still not mathematically done in any way shape or form, as soon as we are safe, the football club and players will want to know what’s going on ahead of next season.”

The midfielder came into this season off the back of a series injury - one that threatened his career. He’s bounced back strongly, playing in all but three of their matches this season.

Only a chest infection kept him out against Bradford City recently - the only time this term that he hasn’t been named in the matchday squad.

He said: “I have tried to make sure I have been available for selection as many times as I can.

“It hurt me missing out with that one, I was desperate not to but I just couldn't get out of bed and I was coughing up, it was terrible. I’ve missed one game but after the hell I had last year, missing one game, had I been told that at the start of the season I would have snapped you hand off.”

MacDonald sounded like he hadn’t shaken his illness off completely when speaking to the press on Saturday after a win over Tranmere - where he was named sponsors’ man-of-the-match - but it didn’t show on the pitch.

“I gave it everything, left it all out there,” he said. “That’s all I ever ask of myself, moments of quality, a couple of good set-piece deliveries, a couple of good deliveries around the box, happy with the performance.

“The illness took a little more out of me than I anticipated to be honest. I was in bed for three days, it hit me for six, 10 days on antibiotics. Harrogate (last Saturday) was probably a little bit too soon for me but it’s old-school mentality, you don’t really want to rule yourself out with an illness.

“We got there in the end, a couple of minutes at Harrogate and a couple against Stockport and I felt great on Saturday.”

MacDonald’s delivery into the box has led to several goals this year, with five direct assists since January.

It was MacDonald’s pinpoint cross from a corner that led to Shaun Williams’ opener. It was a well-practised move - one that had almost led to a goal moments earlier.

He said: “We work on the training ground to make sure we know our routines and we have got quite a few goals from set-pieces recently. Long may that continue.

“Sometimes when you work on a corner and your man gets free like Willo did first time, you probably come away from it, but I said to him I think that will be on again and we went for the same routine. Shaun got on the end of it and into the net.”