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Goalkeeper Glenn Morris admitted it was a gamble to return to Gillingham after tearing up an 18-month deal at Crawley Town.
Morris, 39, has returned to the Gills on a contract until the end of this season, heading back to a club where he knew he had a good chance of getting plenty of action.
He started every league match for the Gills during his loan spell before a ligament tear in his shoulder in mid-November left him sidelined. He returned from injury to play at Stevenage on January 2, the final day of his loan spell.
Two weeks later he was back, having cancelled his deal at Crawley and signed permanently for the Gills.
“I am happy here, enjoying my football again, and pleased to be able to get it sorted,” he said.
“It wasn’t straightforward because I had a contract at Crawley that I needed to sort out and a few things needed to fall into place and once that happened it was good to get it done.
“It is a gamble but I wanted to be somewhere where there was a chance of playing, you don’t want to be somewhere where you are not going to have that opportunity, it was best for me to cut the tie (at Crawley) and move on.
“I think Crawley was sort of finished for me in the summer, it was a case of wanting to come back and it was just whether it could happen, I had the safety net of another year at Crawley if nothing did materialise but I didn’t want to do that, I wanted to come back.
“It had to happen quickly because I could see things were happening here, you didn’t know what would happen if I took too long, it had to happen quick and get back here and be available for Hartlepool.”
Morris was back and played his part in last Saturday's 2-0 win over Hartlepool in a battle of the bottom two.
With a new owner, and new players, there is plenty of confidence that the Gills can get out of trouble.
“The feel good factor is back in the club,” he said. “You notice it walking around, talking to fans and players who have been here a long time, you can sense there is something happening, but we have to do our work on the pitch and make sure we get that right.
“It just feels like there is a bit more positivity around the place.
“(Last Saturday) was a massive win, it was a six-pointer, it was a game we probably couldn’t afford to lose, even though there is a long way to go, but to win it was massively important, especially after the takeover and new players coming , it gave us a lift.
“It was a big win and we’re going into Saturday now with a little bit of confidence, but they are good team, it will be a tough game.”
Morris enjoyed his time at Crawley, joining them in 2016 after two years at Gillingham were he didn’t feature much. He originally moved on as a player-coach but quickly proved he still had plenty to give on the pitch and ended up playing 257 league games for the club.
He’s been a regular for the Gills too, following his initial loan move in the summer, and even at 39 he still thinks he’s got more in him.
He said: “I proved to people (at Crawley) that I can still do it. It kicked on my career again.
“I am not thinking too far ahead now, let’s get this bit of business done, then worry about (the future) near the end of the season but I think I have more to come, definitely.”
Morris’ injury at the Gills could have been worse. A ligament tear was definitely better than a dislocation and making a return just before his loan spell ended was important, giving the Gillingham management team the confidence to hand him another deal.
He said: “The injury could have been worse, could have needed an operation, I could have been out longer, I was able to get back fit and put myself in for selection before my loan finished and that might have been the key for me coming back.
“Gillingham ticked every box for me personally, it is nice to be back here, I felt it was the right club for me.”
