For the first time as Gillingham boss, Neil Harris is having to leave senior players out of the matchday squad.

With a couple of additions on deadline day and an injury list that's clearing up, Harris is running with a squad numbering around 20.

Four senior pros were watching on the sidelines against Swindon last Saturday, Olly Lee and Cheye Alexander among those not involved. Dom Jefferies wasn’t risked after only just coming back from injury and new signing Robbie McKenzie wasn’t quite up to speed after his return to the club.

Harris said: “It is the first time I have had to do it in seven months, it is nice.

"It is not nice for the lads and not nice for me to have to do it at times and what makes it difficult is that I can only name six subs, as we haven’t got a club-developed player in the group.

“We don’t have an under-23s group. If I don’t name a club-developed player, then I can’t name the seven subs but I will only name a club-developed player if I feel they are good enough to impact the group, otherwise I will go with the six subs.

“It is something we have to look at as a football club over the coming months, and seasons, really. We have to bridge that gap between the 18s and the first-team.

“It is not a nice conversation to have with a player to tell them you are not playing, not even on the bench. There weren’t many in that scenario [on Saturday]. Dom wasn’t ready, Robbie wasn’t ready. There was only one real tight decision.

“If we can keep people fit and away from suspensions then in the coming weeks, I am going to have decisions to make.

“Ultimately it is never personal, players know that.

“I just pick what I feel is appropriate and then if the players don’t agree, well it is only my opinion.

"Five to six thousand people will have an opinion on whether I get it right or wrong, that is the beauty of football.”