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The Shouting Men: Gillingham goalkeeper Tom Hadler writes exclusively for the KM Group

My loan move to Gloucester City is proving to be a good one for me. It’s been the perfect start, with three wins from three and I hope to keep it going.

I got the man-of-the-match against Bath on Monday and that was a good feeling.

It’s a brilliant feeling coming off the pitch, knowing you’ve played well, done your job and got a win. I was buzzing.

Tom Hadler is making the most of his game time at Gloucester City Picture: Barry Goodwin
Tom Hadler is making the most of his game time at Gloucester City Picture: Barry Goodwin

I managed to get a clean sheet on my debut, beating Hemel Hempstead 1-0. It was a dream start and as a goalkeeper there isn’t a result better in the game than 1-0.

I built on that with a couple of other wins, although I’ve been busier in the other two games and I have been able to show what I am about.

On Saturday at Hungerford, I had quite a good one, keeping us in it at the end. They were throwing everything at us when we were 3-2 up. It was a proper rearguard action.

Gloucester have been fantastic and the manager has been a star. I train with Gills on a Monday and a Tuesday and then Thursday morning before travelling to Gloucester for training on Thursday evening. I stay over there until Saturday and they do look after me.

I went there a couple of seasons ago on loan just for one match against Tamworth. I had a pretty good game and it’s the same manager, Tim Harris, who is still there.

He was director of football at Newport, with Justin Edinburgh, which is where the link came about first time. The manager kept tabs on me and when the chance to get me on loan again came up, he jumped at it. It has been perfect.

I needed something to happen to allow me to go out on loan. I made the manager aware that I thought it would be best for me to get some games. It would do my development a lot of good, having been out for a long while with my injury.

I had quite a bad hip impingement, a misshaped hip joint. It was predominately my right, which was my dominant leg. It was a proper saga last year.

I found out in August and it was giving me a real problem. I was meant to be getting it sorted when Jonathan Bond came in (on loan) but then he got injured, which meant I needed to step back up. It was causing me pain and discomfort but I could still play.

Justin then got sacked and that didn’t help me as they were looking to sign someone but Ady (Pennock) came in and he has been good with it. I felt a bit guilty because the moment he came through the door I was like ‘I need an operation’. He was brilliant and sorted it out. The rest is history.

Read the full column in Thursday's Medway Messenger.

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