Striker Marcus Wyllie is keen to repay Gillingham manager Mark Bonner after stepping up from the non-league scene.
Wyllie played in the academy at APOEL Nicosia in his native Cyprus and after moving to England at the age of 17 he proved to be a lethal finisher in non-league football at Risborough Rangers and Enfield Town. Those goals earned him plenty of admirers and eventually a move to Gillingham.
With five starts and five appearances off the bench in the Football League, Wyllie, 25, has been heavily involved in the first third of the season at Gillingham and hopes to make his mark.
He said: “I didn’t know what to expect coming in from non-league but I’m really happy that the manager’s trusted me to start quite a few games already.
“I just want to make as much of an impact when I’m on the pitch to help the team win games. We’ve got such a good group here and everyone just loves working with each other. The environment is perfect.
“Hopefully we just keep building on that and I can help the team in any way I can. Hopefully that is by scoring as many goals as possible.
“I backed myself to be able to compete in this league and to impact games. The intensity is a lot higher than non-league, it’s a lot more physical and just the difference in quality. If you make a mistake, the other team is probably going to capitalise.
“But the goal never moves, does it? I’ll back myself to do the best that I can. The manager’s putting faith in me to get out on the pitch. I need to repay him by putting in good performances.”
Moving into the pro game was always the aim for the striker, who moved to the Gills after netting 34 goals in 49 appearances as Enfield won promotion into National League South last season.
The Gills were willing to give Wyllie the opportunity to test himself in the Football League.
His time playing in the APOEL academy gave him an idea of what life would be like as a full-time professional, which he is clearly enjoying.
“It’s something that I always wanted,” he said.
“I had that taste of training every day in a professional academy but ever since I moved here I didn’t really have that, so to have it again now is unbelievable for me.
“It’s just like a dream really, being able to wake up and go to training every single day and be with all the boys here.
“I love waking up and thinking, ‘right, I’m going to go play football’ and to be able to see all the boys, the management. Everyone at the club’s great and I’m loving it.
“I thought it would be a massive transition [from non-league] but it’s been quite smooth. I think that’s because it’s something I’ve always wanted, something I knew I’d be able to get comfortable with, so it’s kind of helped that transition now. I feel really comfortable here.”
It’s been a big change of lifestyle for the striker who made his Gills debut in the League Cup at Swansea City, his Football League bow at the end of August and first professional goal in the EFL Trophy defeat against Crystal Palace.
Prior to moving to Priestfield he spent two years working as a behaviour manager at a special educational needs school, but the move to the Gills in the summer meant he missed the last day of term. He returned there last Wednesday to say say a proper farewell.
He said: “It was very challenging job at times but also really rewarding and the relationships I built with the kids was massive.
“To go back and say goodbye – and hello again I guess because it’s been a little while – was really good. I have a lot of friends who still work there so it was nice to see everyone.
“I really enjoyed my time there but from that to now, waking up and thinking, ‘right, I’m just going in to play football’, it’s a bit surreal to be honest.”
It’s been quite a journey for the striker since moving to England – a move he had been keen for his parents to make.
He’d been born in the Cypriot capital Nicosia and played in the academy of the country’s most successful club. He remembers fondly the time he got to be ball-boy at a Champions League fixture against PSG and the time Messi and Barcelona paid a visit.
Playing for the national team of Cyprus is on the bucket list but there are plenty more things to tick off first – including a first goal in the Football League. His EFL Trophy strike came in front of an empty Rainham End.
He said: “We lost that game, unfortunately, so it was a bittersweet moment.
“On a Saturday that Rainham End would be packed out but it was empty unfortunately. It was still a good experience and I can’t wait to get my first goal here in the league.”
The Gills are at home this coming Saturday against Harrogate Town.
