The signing of John Egan was a special one for Peter Taylor.

Former Sunderland centre-back Egan joined the Gills last week on a two-year deal despite interest from several Championship clubs. Among those rumoured to be chasing the 21-year-old’s signature were Blackburn Rovers.

Taylor managed to lure the talented youngster with the promise of football and the Gills boss was thrilled to have got his man.

He said: “I am delighted with John signing, which is the same as all of them but John is a bit more special in the fact that we knew there were Championship clubs after him.

“He is an organised boy, he knows what he wants and on the strength of having 15 matches on loan (at Southend) last season, he knew he didn’t want to go anywhere where he wasn’t sure whether he was going to play.

“Not that he isn’t up for a challenge, he certainly is, but he just wanted to be sure.

“There might have been Championship clubs there who might have looked at him as a reserve centre-half now, knowing he is going to be a good player later on.

“I have assured him he will play. He is confident that is the case. Yes, he has to fight, he has to do right and knows if he does it right, he is going to give himself the chance to start.”