Loan defender Andy Smith has wasted no time in settling in at Gillingham.
The 23-year-old, who joined the Gills from Hull City, has played the maximum minutes during the last two games and impressed in both.
Smith stood out on his debut against Barrow playing right-back and on Tuesday night was on the right of a three-man unit that helped keep the league leaders frustrated in a 1-1 draw.
He’s been helped in settling with ex-Hull players Robbie McKenzie – who scored the equaliser on Tuesday night – and Max Clark also in the team.
He said: “It’s a brilliant group of lads and great staff as well. They’ve made me feel really welcome from day one. I feel like I’ve settled in well.
“I’ve played the two games and just got back enjoying my football again.
“I know Robbie and Max really well. Both are a little bit older than me but both were lads that I looked up to growing up in the youth team.
“They’re two brilliant lads, but they’re brilliant pros as well and they grafted their nuts off all night.
“I can’t really thank them enough for helping me settle in the way they have.”
The Gills had to respond from a weekend loss at Barrow and they did just that, with a committed display that earned them a point. There were enough chances late on to say they could easily have won it.
Smith said: “From start to finish, I felt like we were right in the game. They took the lead but we’ve bounced back and I felt like we were unlucky to not get the three points.
“We’ve had a few penalty shouts that maybe if they go our way it’s a different story. All the lads were brilliant from front to back.
“Elliott Nevitt and Joe Gbode didn’t give them a minute’s rest all game (upfront) and that set the tone for the rest of the team behind them. It was a brilliant performance from the lads.
“None of us are happy with the run of form that we’re on, but all we can do is graft our nuts off like we did (Tuesday) and see where that leaves us. That’s all anyone can expect of us and that’s what we’ll give every time.
“No one likes to get beat. That’s not why we play the game. That’s not why the fans come.
“We were really disappointed in ourselves (after Barrow) with what we gave them, but they were there again in their numbers on a cold Tuesday night and as players and as staff, as a group of lads as a whole, we can’t thank them enough.
“When times are tough, the fans do get us over the line at times. I thought they were brilliant all night again.”
A central defensive recruit was a key aim for the Gills during the January transfer window and Smith was one of several they targeted.
Smith had previously spent time on out on loan and after recovering from an early-season injury he was keen to get back in action and Gillingham was a place he was keen to come to.
He said: “I knew there was a bit of interest at the start of the window, but with my parent club, I wasn’t allowed to leave until it was right for them.
“It was down to deadline day and I knew Gillingham were interested from the start. It was certainly something that I wanted to be a part of. I’m just glad to be here now.
“I experienced playing at Priestfield before, when I was at Grimsby, it was a tough place to come and taking that experience and thinking what my best options were, I definitely felt like Gillingham was a place where I can come and thrive under this manager and play as many games as possible.
“One thing that I have realised when I first come in the door is that the lads work hard and we’re here to get out of this little bad run of form that we are in.
“If we graft like that (on Tuesday) from now to the end of the season, which I know we can, we’ll be just fine.
“Hopefully it’s a big three months for all the lads. We’re all pulling in the same direction. We all want to turn things around in terms of results. It’s a step in the right direction.”
