Former Tunbridge Wells winger Josh Stanford has told KSN he is thankful for getting a trial with Gillingham, but was disappointed not to get a contract.

The 23 year old winger spent a month on loan with the League One club during pre-season, playing a number of games for Peter Taylor’s side as he looked to impress.

Stanford made his debut for the club in the opening pre-season fixture of the summer at Folkestone Invicta and was involved with the squad right up to the last week before the new season, starting the game against Faversham Town at Salters Lane.

Despite putting in some impressive performances for The Gills, manager Peter Taylor opted against offering the winger a deal with the club, but Stanford is happy to have been given the opportunity:

“It was the best four weeks I’ve had in football and the experience was unbelievable. To get the feedback from the fans and some of the coaches was really nice.”

“The ultimate aim was to get a contract, but if you’d have told me last year that I’d have had a four week trial with Gillingham, I wouldn’t have believed it. To get there was great and I’m taking the positives out of it.”

Stanford is hoping that the knock back isn’t the end of his hopes of becoming a professional footballer and wants to prove Taylor wrong:

“I hope wherever I do end up this season, I can do a good job, get a load of games, get a load of goals and put myself back in the shop window.”

The winger has been training with Maidstone United also during the summer after returning from a spell in Australia and Stanford told KSN that was one of the clubs that were showing an interest in signing him:

“I played for them last week and had a good chat with Jay (Saunders), so we will have to see how that pans out. Tunbridge Wells manager Martin Larkin did also say to me that I know where they are too!”

“I think I proved that I can play with League One players when I was with Gills and I haven’t given up hope of going pro. If that means going somewhere else first, then fine.”

“I have got to prove myself and hopefully my chance will come again in the next few seasons.”

It was through working with Soccer Elite FA that Stanford got the opportunity to get a trial at Gillingham with Assistant Manager, Andy Hessenthaler, also working for the Kent football academy and Stanford is grateful for the chance:

“I had a really good chat with Andy when I came back from Australia. I said I wanted to be playing at the highest level that I could and he invited me down for a few days.”

“Those few days turned into four weeks, so I must have been doing something right to be given that opportunity.”

“I wouldn’t even be back playing if it wasn’t for Soccer Elite and that initial phase of getting back coaching game me my love of the game back.”

Stanford will forever be remembered as scoring Tunbridge Wells’ goal in the FA Vase Final against Spennymoor Town at Wembley in 2013 and the winger told KSN how he had such fond memories of the club:

“It has been a whirlwind past twelve months and that day is very special to me. For me, that was the start and with the Gillingham trial, I hope I can push on.”

“A lot of people ask me all about it, but I hope I can make that part of my history and make that the start of what could be a great football career.”

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