Birchall buzzing

Adam Birchall was finally able to make his long awaited Gillingham home debut at the weekend, when he featured against Chesterfield.

The striker, as he told BBC Radio Kent, was "buzzing" after coming off the bench to kick-start his Priestfield career: 'It would have been the fairytale start (to score the winner) but I'd rather have a fairytale career here.

'The last couple of weeks my knee has been feeling a bit off. I've been given time to rest it and strengthen it.

'I was buzzing when I was told I was on the bench and I loved being out there.'

Having missed the whole of the last season with a knee injury, following his arrival from Dover, the 27-year-old never gave up on making his return from injury when some might have thought his career was over.

This hard work has paid off and the striker was never going to "give up": 'I worked so hard to get this dream move to Gillingham from non-league. I wasn't willing to give up on it.

'It's been a hard struggle to get to this point. It felt amazing. I can start kicking on with my career again.'

Birchall's determination to return was also praised by Martin Allen with The Gills boss crediting his hard work during the summer to get himself fit with his surprise inclusion among the sub in the weekend draw with Chesterfield reward for this.

You can't run before you can walk so it will still be a gradual recovery process for the striker but the boost gained from his sub appearance at the weekend can hopefully work to the benefit of everyone.

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