Director of football Peter Taylor believes big Gillingham striker Tom Eaves could be scoring regularly next season.

Losing goal poacher Cody McDonald from the squad, as well as goalscoring midfielder Bradley Dack, has left fans wondering where the goals will come from.

Taylor said: “Cody got 12 last season and it’s not easy to get a 12 or 15-goal-a-season man but our aim is to do that.

“People could look at Tom Eaves and say he has never got to that rate but we think he is capable. It is not all about what someone got last year, it is about what someone is going to get this year.”

Eaves’ best scoring spells came during loan stints at Bristol Rovers and Shrewsbury. He found the net frequently at the start of last season but the goals dried up at the turn of the year.

“We are hopeful that Tom will have a better rate than in previous teams,” said Taylor.

“You can call me biased because we have just signed him but I think there is more to come from him.

“He is very hungry and you just hope with people like that, the same as the Cody situation, if they are in a confident way then they are dangerous strikers.

“We are hoping that the strikers we have on the books for the start of the season score quickly and get confident, and then they go on from there.”

Gills fans will get their first chance to see Eaves in action on Friday night when they open their pre-season campaign with a trip to Faversham, kick-off 7.30pm.

Head coach Ady Pennock is expected to give his senior players 45 minutes as they ease themselves into matches with a trip to Dartford on Tuesday.