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Gillingham manager Peter Taylor will give former Tunbridge Wells winger Josh Stanford more time to impress

Josh Stanford in action for Tunbridge Wells at Wembley against Spennymoor Town in 2013 Picture: Barry Goodwin
Josh Stanford in action for Tunbridge Wells at Wembley against Spennymoor Town in 2013 Picture: Barry Goodwin

Gillingham boss Peter Taylor wants another look at non-league wing-wizard Josh Stanford.

The 24-year-old netted at Wembley in the 2013 FA Vase final for Tunbridge Wells and last season spent time playing in Australia. Now back in England, Gills boss Taylor is taking a look at the talented winger on trial and he likes what he’s seen so far.

Stanford, who has also trained with Maidstone United this summer, impressed on the left wing for Gillingham as Taylor’s men opened up their pre-season campaign with a 3-1 win at Folkestone.

Taylor said: “He looked useful. He has been with us for about seven days and he is decent on the ball, loves to get a cross in and works hard.

“He is a determined lad so we are going to carry on looking at him. He is on trial but he has been terrific and has been a really good lad.”

Stanford progressed through Tonbridge Angels’ youth set-up before becoming a key member of Tunbridge Wells’ Wembley-bound side the season before last. Last season he had a spell with Albany Creek Excelsior in the Brisbane Premier League.

With no experience in the Football League before and having last played Kent League football in England, Taylor knows it’s a big leap to League 1, but sees no harm in giving Stanford a chance.

“That’s what you try and identify when you have him in for training,” said the Gills boss – a former winger himself. “You have them in for pre-season games and I am sure he will be involved with a few more coming up and then we can try and make a fair judgement.”

Read the full story in Monday's Medway Messenger

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