Gillingham chairman Paul Scally hopes to inject extra cash into the playing budget to bolster their injury-hit squad.

Mr Scally has been working on ways to hand manager Justin Edinburgh additional resources as he looks to add more faces to a squad that has been hampered by pre-season injuries.

Aaron Morris (knee) and Lee Martin (ankle) are both expected to be out for the season while Bradley Garmston (knee) could also miss the first two months.

Morris and Martin both signed two year deals for the Gills this summer but neither will play a part.

“We are still paying their wages and a contact is a contract,” said the Gills chairman.

“We lose the ability to use the player and we suffer because that is a big chunk of our budget taken up on salaries.”

Asked if he could increase the current budget, he said: “That is what I have been trying to do over the last two or three days, to find extra funds, to try and do deals to bring in a couple more replacements. That is a tough task. We have got one or two things on.”

The Gills are still chasing new signings on their current budget, regardless of whether extra funds can be found, and will have additional puling power if the sale of Luke Norris goes ahead.

Boss Justin Edinburgh - spotted scouting a Crystal Palace match at Bromley on Tuesday night - was already chasing a new striker and the sale of Norris could mean they are able to look elsewhere.

The manager said: “What we could do is maybe invest Luke’s money into one that takes us into a different market. We are working hard and trying to make sure we get the signings across the line as quickly as possible.”

Gillingham are in line to receive additional funds but they may take a little longer to reach the club’s bank account.

A fee has yet to be agreed with Brentford after John Egan moved there in the summer. The Gills are due compensation as the Irish defender was under the age of 24 and had been offered a new deal.

Mr Scally said: “Brentford have not made us a serious offer as yet. That looks like it will go to a tribunal and that takes time.

“We don’t get the benefit of that until the tribunal is held and that’s frustrating because we don’t know what will be coming. We can’t spend it until we have the cash.”

Gillingham are also hoping their legal case against former caterers Center Plate is resolved soon. At the time the company pulled out the Gills claimed they were owed a “significant amount of money.”

Mr Scally said: “We are making some progress but it has taken us 15-16 months now since they walked out on their contract and we are fairly optimistic that it could be coming to a conclusion of some sorts.

“We are trying to get what is fair and appropriate and I am optimistic that we aren’t too far off.

“There are a lot of things up in the air which I am trying to get a grip on. Some are in my control but most aren’t.”