Striker Tom Eaves is backing himself to reach the top again.

He was signed by Bolton Wanderers back in 2010, when they were in
the Premier League, with the 6ft 5in striker spending six years at the club.

Playing opportunities were limited, however, meaning most of his game-time has come from loan moves in the lower leagues.

He finally left Bolton last summer when he joined League 2 Yeovil on a permanent deal.

While his team struggled last term, Eaves impressed, and when talks on a new deal broke down, the Gills pounced.

He said: “I always felt I could play at a higher level and I still do want to get to the top. I feel I can get there and I could get there with Gillingham.

“Unfortunately I didn’t get the playing time or the opportunity that I felt I deserved at Bolton, but that’s football.

“It feels like this is a bit of a new chapter and a new challenge. I am really looking forward to it and I am looking forward to working with new players and a new manager. It is good to freshen things up every now and again.

“I am still young and I still want to learn. I am by no means the finished product but I certainly back myself to get back to the top again. The best years are ahead of me, definitely. I am raring to go.”

The striker was keen to put on record his gratitude to Yeovil and their boss Darren Way, saying: “We couldn’t meet terms but it has worked out better for me, to be honest.

“Darren is a really good manager, I couldn’t say a bad word about him or Terry (Skiverton, assistant manager). Good luck to them.”

But now the hard-working frontman, described by Gills head coach Ady Pennock as a 'workaholic', has a new focus. The Liverpudlian certainly puts himself about but he insists he’s not just a big guy to target balls at.

He said: “I am mobile for a big man, with a good touch, good awareness and when the chances are there I will put them away. I like to play football, to get the ball on the floor and play.

“I like the style of play and the way Ady wants to play. There was good chemistry with Ady and Peter Taylor when I also spoke to them.

“I like the aura of the place. The way the gaffer wanted to play suited me and I
am really looking forward to getting going.”

Eaves is certainly confident he can chip in with his fair share of goals, scoring three in pre-season, but admits he might have been a bit too kind to his team-mates in the past.

He said: “Sometimes I have been a bit unselfish in the past and haven’t really got my weight in gold for that. Maybe I have to be a bit more selfish.

“I know the league, I have scored goals in this league before and I feel like I can score goals this year.”