Josh Andrews is hopeful that his Gillingham career can take off under a boss who knows him well.
Andrews scored six goals for John Coleman’s Accrington in the first half of last season – form that prompted the Gills to step in and sign him from parent club Birmingham City for an undisclosed fee a year ago.
The Gills signed the 23-year-old striker knowing he was recovering from an injury and it took him a while to get up to speed. Injuries have also hindered the start of this season, but Andrews is heading into the second half of the campaign fit and ready to make the kind of impact he’d hoped for from the start.
He said: “I haven’t had the impact I imagined I would have here, mainly due to injuries. It’s been frustrating and I’m sure the fans have been just as frustrated with it.
“I wanted to make a big impact and score goals. Things can change. Hopefully going into my second year now at the club, I can make the impact I’ve wanted to make.
“I can’t remember exactly how long I’ve been injury-free now but I’ve had a few starts here and there. I had my first 90 minutes against Bromley and I felt good afterwards so I’m looking forward to hopefully building on that fitness now.
“There’s only one way to get match fit, and that’s by playing. Hopefully I can kick on.”
Gillingham’s last two matches have been postponed, including last week’s home fixture against Fleetwood Town, called off because of a frozen pitch at Priestfield.
The surface has thawed since then, with the team able to train on the pitch this week ahead of a much-anticipated return to action at home to Doncaster.
Saturday’s game has been selected for broadcast by Sky Sports and is a 12.30pm kick-off.
Andrews said: “On a personal note, those two cancellations have been quite frustrating for me because it takes away from that match fitness.”
Recalling his time playing under Coleman at Accrington, he said: “I played half a season and essentially it’s what got me the move here!
“Hopefully I can continue the same vein of form here.
“It was my most successful spell and injury-free, which was obviously good for me. Playing consistent minutes and doing well is always good.
“I get along with him and Jimmy Bell, the assistant. He knows how to get the best out of players. Some may say he’s old school, but he’s not going to take any rubbish from any players.
“He’s just a pleasure to work under. I’ve really enjoyed it and I’m glad he’s here. Hopefully I can kick on now.”
Andrews – still showing signs of the cut above his right eye that needed four stitches after an early clash of heads against Bromley – will hope to play a part this weekend when the Gills go up against one of his former teams.
He had a loan spell at Doncaster but it resulted in just one start and three substitute appearances with a long spell on the sidelines due to tendonitis in his knee.
Among the Donny players he could face is midfielder Kyle Hurst, who he started out with at Birmingham.
“That loan didn’t go to plan and it was a difficult period,” Andrews conceded.
“You go there with hope and expectations of what you would like to happen and it gets taken away out of your hands with the injury. It’s tough, but I’ve moved past that now.”
Gillingham head into the weekend 10 points off the play-off places with Doncaster currently in seventh spot – a place the Gills will be targeting with half a season to play.
Andrews said: “The games are going to come thick and fast. You can quickly go up, but you can just as quickly go down. Hopefully we can go in the right direction.
“Until it’s mathematically impossible, anything can happen in this league.
“We’re not where we want to be now but that doesn’t mean we won’t be there come the end of the season.
“I’d never give up hope, never give up faith. We’ve got 23 games left.
“It’ll be a tough game on Saturday, as every game is. Hopefully we come out the right side of it, and I’m sure we will.
“It’d be nice to get the first game at home under the new gaffer, get the win and get the fans behind us.”
