Gillingham have decided against offering any of last season’s second year scholars a professional deal - and money wasn’t the reason.

First team manager Steve Evans didn’t think any of them would be good enough to force their way into his League 1 team.

“There are no youth players being offered a professional contract,” Evans confirmed.

“The decision was made on ability. It was nothing to do with finance.

“We have to look at them and think, ‘can we see them in six to nine months being in the first team or being on the bench or competing? Can we see them training with us every day?’”

New to the first team last summer were TJ Bramble, Miguel Scarlett and Roman Campbell while Jack Morrell was also on a professional contract.

Their deals were offered before Evans was appointed and he looked at them in pre-season. They were all loaned out.

Joe Walsh spent the season as understudy to Jack Bonham and the club have high hopes for the teenage keeper but none of the others made a single appearance.

“They didn’t get anywhere near,” Evans said.

“I was told they were great lads but I don’t want great lads.

“I don’t mind the odd naughty one. Can he play football? There are lines. If he is a bad lad we aren’t going to give them anything, we wouldn’t want them around.

“But I don’t want ‘good lads’ I want footballers, dedicated footballers. You hear about young lads partying and socialising and in betting shops. I want people like Jack Tucker.

“When he goes home if his parents are working he might put the tea on. He is a level-headed good lad but he can play and that’s the first thing.

“When we arrived Jack Tucker was going to be released. We gave them all a chance during that initial pre-season, whether that be training or watching under-23 games, or being involved with us in training, but what quickly became obvious, apart from Jack Tucker, who was probably going to Hastings, was the rest were miles off.

“I am not going to sign players because they are great lads. I would be signing sons of a few mates of mine if that was the case, some great lads. I am like an uncle to some of them but I wouldn’t sign them.”

Henry Woods is one of the recent youth players that has managed to come through and the club are set to offer him a deal, although he is then likely to be loaned out to gain experience.

Woods is one of five professionals who are set to be offered terms dependent on the outcome of a board meeting next Friday (June 19). With no date yet on a new season the club are being cautious about handing out new deals when they still have no income.

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