Craig Fagan is just days away from finding out if Gillingham want to keep him for the remainder of the season.

And he admits that it’s getting tougher by the year for footballers without clubs to win a professional contract.

Fagan said: “I have always been told that no matter where you are, you have to be doing well because come the end of the contract, if nobody signs you and you are in that marry-go-round with 900 or whatever other players who are also out of contract.

“The clubs have the power to sign you or not to sign you. It is tough but that’s the world we live in. You have to keep working hard and it’s no different than being a builder. There might be 900 builders without jobs and you just have to do the best you can. If you are a good builder you get a job.

“It gets harder every year and that’s not just for myself, that’s for everyone. Even players who have clubs this season, if their contract is coming to an end some will have a rude awakening to realise it is not easy out there as what they think.”

Fagan, who has played in the Premier League, was on the phone to managers at the start of the season asking for a trial, while spending much of his time training alone.

He said: “When you train on your own, it is not the same as going to clubs and training, it is hard to get up in the morning and motivate yourself. It was totally different.

“I am not 100% there fitness wise because I missed a chunk of the season. I just need to be playing as much as I can. I am doing work on my own to keep myself going and getting my fitness topped up.

“I have enjoyed it here and everyone is really friendly at the club. I am 30 now and I have been to a few and this is one of the friendliest clubs I have been to.

“It is not just the playing staff, it is the people around the ground, everyone is polite and wants to say hello. It’s refreshing and I have enjoyed it.”

Fagan is on a deal which expires on January 14, so he has three more games left to impress, before a decision is made.

“I don’t see why I would want to move but that’s if the club wants me,” he said. “The people have been good to me at the club and I have enjoyed it.

“I know the ideas that the manager is trying to bring across and slowly and surely the lads are starting to pick up his ideas of how he wants to play.

“Week by week it is getting better and the lads will kick on. I have no doubt this team will push up the league.”