by Luke Cawdell

Gillingham boss Martin Allen plans to add to his squad before the weekend in light of an injury to on-loan defender Tom Flanagan.

A training ground incident for Flanagan, pictured, means he is heading back to parent club MK Dons after suffering a broken bone in his foot.

He is likely to need an operation and will be out for a minimum of two months. His half-season loan from MK Dons will have expired by then.

The injury came about following what Allen described as a "totally innocuous" challenge during Friday training, but the manager was quick to seek out reinforcements.

He said: "I fully expect by Thursday there will be further strengthening of our squad. I am looking to strengthen the team and we have quite simply got to get better."

And Allen insists he won’t be sending anyone out in the opposite direction to balance the books.

"The chairman doesn’t force me to get anyone out," he said. "He doesn’t force me to say people have got to go."

Whether the Gills can bring Flanagan back once fit remains to be seen. Allen said: "We will see. I don’t know. It’s up to MK; it’s not up to us."