Mark Byrne has signed a new two-year contract which will keep the midfielder with the Gills until the summer of 2020.

Byrne was voted the club’s `Player of the Year` in May and also won goal of the season for his sensational strike against Bristol Rovers on December 16 last year.

Manager Steve Lovell was very keen to extend the deal of the former Newport County player, and on Monday morning he arrived at the club to make it official.

To date, Byrne has made 82 appearances and scored six goals since he first arrived at Priestfield in the summer of 2016.

On finally getting his man Lovell said: “I made no secret of the fact that Mark was one of my priorities in terms of keeping him at the club over the summer.

“He won Player of the Year last season, and rightly so after putting in a number of excellent performances. It’s great to have him on board.”

Mark Byrne added: “I’m delighted to be staying; I had a great season last year and I’m now looking to build on that. I have a great relationship with the supporters and I now can’t wait to get going ahead of the new season.”