Following news that messers Bonham, Graham and Ogilvie are leaving Priestfield, Gills boss Steve Evans is prepared to put in the miles up and down the country to fill the gaps and build a squad that can take the next step and challenge for League One honours next season.

He told us, “My job is to get around the country and meet players and see what’s inside them – it’s not just about terms, that will come later with the Chairman! I like to have a cup of coffee or juice with these young men, because we have to be a little bit unique given what we have to spend versus a lot of other clubs, we can be unique, and we can attract good players!”

“It’s step by step and we always believe that the meetings are better face to face because the Chairman and me are always very honest – it’s all cards on the table and no surprises! We’ll see what we can achieve…”

Evans is also only too well aware that there will be members of his squad who will attract attention if other clubs. “The Chairman has already had a lot of telephone calls about Vadaine Oliver and Kyle Dempsey – as well as Jack Tucker too,” he admitted, “but we know we’ll have to be strong with those three as they’re all big players for us and our Chairman is determined to be strong!”

“When we signed Vadaine Oliver last summer, I told him he was going to be one of the top scorers in the League, but he said that he didn’t normally get them. I then told him that he’d been coached wrongly – he’d been coached to stay wide all the time – and I told him that you have to be between the sticks to score goals… and we did just that, and the Big Man has loved every minute of it and loved being on the end of support from the likes of Graham, McDonald, O’Connor and Dempsey who have been absolutely stunning.” 

“The spine of your team always has to be your priority – I think we knew we had a weakness up until January and it was a big, big weakness in central defence – Jack was playing a lot on his own and that harmed him a little bit, but he came through it when we got Robbie Cundy in beside him.”

“When we got O’Keefe back fit – he went in there with Dempsey, and they continued to prosper. We’re concentrating on the spine but with O’Connor going back to Southampton, it’s imperative that we sign a full back on the left side; it’s imperative that we strengthen in goal and central defensively!”

The Gills finished with three players on loan last season, and Evans admitted that he would welcome the chance to talk to Ollie Lee, Tom O’Connor and Robbie Cundy about a Priestfield return in August.

“I like all three of the boys and I’ve never hidden that; it was a pleasure to work with Ollie over the two spells. Tommy finished the season outstandingly left sided central defensively – he was absolutely outstanding!”

“So, from the point of view of the loan players – not forgetting Robbie – it’s difficult to get good loan players who buy into the culture of we work really hard. But those three lads really did – as I understand it, Tommy hasn’t had a decision yet from Southampton, Robbie has had an option on his contract taken up at Bristol City, so we’ll have to respect that and Ollie as we speak is doing his coaching badges, so we’ve agreed to talk to him in the next week or so. He’s already got options which is only to be expected as he’s a good footballer!”

“We’ve got a lot of work to do if we are going to break into that top group and now that Sheffield Wednesday have come down and Sunderland won’t be going, it’s going to be even tougher than this year – and this year was tough!”