Homegrown favourite Bradley Dack wants to remain a Gillingham player next season under new boss Gareth Ainsworth.
The 31-year-old fell out of favour under former manager John Coleman but marked his return to the fold by scoring a last-gasp winner against MK Dons at the weekend.
Dack rejoined the club in the summer on a short-term deal after seven years away – and he wants to put right the wrongs of the current campaign next time around in a Gillingham shirt.
“This season has really pained me and I feel like I owe it to myself, I owe it to the club, I owe it to the fans to do right and make this club into a successful team,” Dack said.
“I feel like I can add a lot to that with my experience, my ability or my self-belief. I feel like I can really drive this club on and help get it to where it needs to be.
“I’d love to stay, that conversation hasn’t happened yet. There’s four games left. Hopefully, I can make a big impact and show the gaffer why I want to be here.
“I want to do well, I want this club to get promoted.
“That’s the reason I’ve come here and I thought it was going to be this year. It hasn’t panned out that way and that hurts me a lot.
“Hopefully next year I’ll be here and we can get it done.”
Dack left the Gills in 2017 to join Blackburn Rovers in a deal initially worth £750,000.
His triumphant return at the start of this season hasn’t had the fairytale finish that everyone wanted. It’s a failing that Dack has taken personally.
“This season has pained me probably more than most to see the club where is at,” explained Dack.
“Obviously, when I left, it was a good team in League 1. And to see us being near the bottom of League 2 is hugely frustrating, disappointing, and I’ve felt that pain.
“I understand the fans’ frustrations, all the players are frustrated. I guess I take a little bit more on my shoulders, just because I felt like I could make a big impact and it was a big deal when I re-signed.
“I still feel like I’ve got a lot to give. I have a lot of self-belief.
“I just feel like I need a full pre-season. I need a run of games to really get ready and go.”
Dack’s already building a close relationship with Ainsworth. The Gills boss sees parallels in Dack with both players having their careers hit by injuries at key times.
The midfielder has been impressed with Ainsworth’s approach alongside assistant boss Richard Dobson.
“We’ve had conversations,” said Dack on the new boss.
“I think he sees me as a senior pro and a bit of a leader down there and I take that responsibility on.
“He spoke to me about the dressing room, what he wants, what he doesn’t want with regards to standards around the place and all [these] kind of things. And, yes, I think he believes in me as a player.
“He spoke to me at half-time [on Saturday] and said where I’d be playing and said a couple of things, tactically, that he wanted me to do.
“He’s been brilliant. I’ve really enjoyed working with him in this short period of time and hopefully that can continue.
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“He’s a character, but he wants things done seriously. He’s very professional in everything that him and Dobbo do.
“First of all, they’re just good people, good humans who want the best for you. I think that comes across in everything he’s done so far.
“Then the football side of things, he’s just really positive. There’s no shouting or screaming or being negative about certain things. All the meetings are about positive things that we’ve done in games and then what we can improve on, rather than stuff we haven’t done so well.
“I think they’ve been a real breath of fresh air and everyone’s really enjoying it again.”
Gillingham travel to Cheltenham on Good Friday before hosting AFC Wimbledon on Easter Monday.
