Gillingham midfielder Dom Jefferies has spoken of his delight at making it into the pro game after a spell in non league.

Each year many young players are released by professional clubs and then drift through the Non-League circuit for the rest of their careers. 

There are of course those who do make it back into the professional game, and we’ve been talking to one of these players – Gillingham’s own Dom Jefferies – on how to turn rejection into achieving your dream, albeit with a little help… 

Jefferies, who recently played his fiftieth game for the Gills after signing from Brentford’s under 23s side admitted, “It is tough mentally when you have been going in every day to training – you love playing football.”

“Then everything is taken away from you as Salisbury, the team that I went to training once, maybe twice a week and a game on the Saturday.”

“So, the jump from going from training every day and doing the right things to doing nothing at all, to get yourself back is tough mentally and can take its’ toll on people.” 

“But if you really fight and give everything you can into it, you can get yourself back up there!” 

“I had my family and friends for support, but from a club perspective there was not really much support.”

“I had a great manager at Salisbury who really looked after me (Steve Claridge) and he put a lot of trust in me as I was only eighteen when I went there.”

“He made me believe I could get back there; my family made me believe I could get back there! I think you must believe that you can do it yourself, as if you do not and you are just happy to sit in Non-League, that is fine.”

“But I was not just satisfied with myself to be in Non-League.” 

Gillingham signed Jefferies from Brentford under 23s and it was a jump in standard that took the midfielder by surprise as he told us, “The jump from 23s to League Two has been really tough! As soon as I came in, it was not what I expected – I had been in and around it when I was at Newport, but did not make a League appearance as I was only watching.”

“Physically and mentally it’s tough on the body; going Saturday, Tuesday constantly with Cup games included, it is a big ask. Even though I am young and people say that I have got “loads of legs” I do feel it sometimes. I have enjoyed it!” 

“A “B” team is a good stepping stone to get you ready for “adult” football where you play teams like Maidstone as the B team did last week – I played against teams with all different styles and from different countries; it is a good stepping stone and a learning curve to get you ready for adult football which is very different.”

“I captained the team my last six to eight months at Brentford and loved every minute of it.” 

“I’ve gone from Newport in League Two to Non-League football – the gritty side of it – I’ve had a mixture of all different styles, playing ways and different managers, and have tried to take bits of every style into my game today.” 

“When I first went into Non-League at Salisbury, if I am honest, I did not really back myself to get back into pro football.”

“As I started playing for them regularly, I was a bit arrogant really, I suppose as I knew that I was above that level not knowing what level I would have gone to, but I wanted more than just being in Non-League football.”

“So, I used to train every day like a professional football even though I was not – do the right things and just hoping really that you have got a bit of luck on your side sometimes. And someone was at a game one day and scouted me and I finished up at Brentford.” 

“For the first two weeks when I went there, I was nowhere near the level, but I then realised what I needed to do and work on and eventually it paid off.”