Brandon Hanlan is enjoying the attacking intensity that Gillingham boss Steve Evans has injected.

The 22-year-old forward ended last season in great form and hopes he can carry that on under a new manager.

“I want to start off where I left off and keep pushing forward,” said the former Charlton striker who hit nine goals for the Gills last season.

“The gaffer is good, he has brought a lot of intensity to the club, he has brought a different way of playing, the boys are just learning their roles and feel like it will click by the start of the season.

“We like to get forward and that’s good for us strikers, when a team is playing forward we can make runs and hopefully get more goals as well.

“To beat last season is definitely a target, I definitely want to do better, that’s what you want to do every season and keep on progressing.

“I started to get a couple more goals at the back end of last season and if I can just maintain that for the whole of next season I could push past my target.”

Hanlan played 44 games last season as a big part of former boss Steve Lovell’s plans. He was given a new lease of life after being released by the Addicks.

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With goals and appearances now behind him, he’s a lot more confident in his ability.

He said: “It has given me a bit of extra confidence, knowing that I can play in League 1 and knowing what I can do in League 1 and knowing I can do better.

“I am buzzing to get to Doncaster now (for the opening game of the season) and to start off the league with a good result.”

And he’s not putting a limit on what the Gills can do this season, adding: “I reckon the sky is the limit for us, you can’t say what we are going to do, but I don’t see anything wrong with saying we could get promoted. We could go anywhere next season.

“We definitely have good additional people in the group and everyone is still learning because it is still different but everyone that has come in has picked it up fast and we have some good players in now.

“I am feeling good, obviously pre-season is tough, but each game counts and with the extra minutes I feel I am getting better and better each week. It’s a big year for me.”

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