Bradley Dack made a low-key return for Gillingham on Tuesday night but manager Mark Bonner is expecting him to have a big impact.
Dack made his first appearance since leaving the club for Blackburn Rovers in 2017, playing 45 minutes alongside Josh Andrews in attack against Peterborough United in the midweek EFL Trophy defeat.
It’s step-by-step progress for Dack, 30, as he edges closer to full fitness.
Bonner said: “He is really good and the more he gets involved and in the team, he’ll make others better, and he’ll raise standards. So that’s to come.
“I think that’s just a natural thing for a really good player at a higher level, that’s got a hunger, ambition, things like that. I don’t think we’ve seen that yet.
“We will see it but he’s working his way back to a level, and as and when he gets there, we will benefit from it.
“But we have to be sensible with that. I’m really hopeful that he’ll add a lot to our team.
“Time on the pitch will be good, and we need to be steady and sensible and be careful with back-to-back games, things like that, but it’s nice.
“He’s training well and when he gets to his full sharpness and his full level he will really help us and give us a bit more control of games.”
Dack returned to the Gills last month after being released by Championship side Sunderland.
He’d previously played 160 games for the Gills in the league and picked up a title-medal at this level in 2013. He was later a star man for Justin Edinburgh’s side who for half a season threatened to challenge for honours, too, but fell short, and Dack moved on.
Dack was an unused substitute last weekend against Chesterfield and played the first half against Peterborough. He could now be involved again this weekend against Doncaster.
He moved to the Gills as a free agent but owner Brad Galinson was keen to praise the recruitment team for getting the deal done.
Writing in his programme notes this week, Mr Galinson said: “Naturally, many other clubs were after him but the recruitment team worked tirelessly to get it over the line.”
