GOALKEEPER Simon Royce is hoping his impressive performances this season will be enough to earn him a new contract at the club.

The 36-year-old's contract expires in the summer but he has expressed his desire to extend his stay with the Gills after getting his hunger for the game back.

Royce has scooped two Kent Messenger Group player- of-the-month awards and has become a big hit with the fans after a consistent run of form in goal.

"I've got the bug again," he said. "Towards the end of last season I was thinking about stopping playing, because I wasn't enjoying it, but coming down to Gillingham has given me a new lease of life and it's nice that I'm playing well.

"I'll be talking to the chairman in the next few weeks to see if we can sort something else out because I would like to stay longer."