Striker Marcus Wyllie is determined to rediscover the goalscoring form which earned him a dream move into the Football League two years ago.
Wyllie was among the 14 players shown the door by the Gills at the end of the season but one of the first to clinch a move to a new club.
The 26-year-old, who joined National League side Aldershot Town last week, will be keen to get back to the form which had led to his move to Gillingham and a taste of the full-time game.
His new club are looking to make big improvements after a season where they only just avoided relegation.
Following his move, Wyllie spoke of his unforgettable rise to the EFL and his hopes for the future. The Cypriot-born striker believes the move offers him the perfect opportunity to reignite his career after a challenging spell in Kent.
“I am a hard worker and I want to re-find that form of scoring goals and I want to contribute as much as possible,” he said, following his move back into non-league.
“I was delighted to have signed for Aldershot. It’s a massive club. It’s a big rebuild, it’s something I wanted to be part of and I can’t wait to get started.”
The striker gave up his teaching job to become a professional footballer at Gillingham, after prolific spells with Risborough Rangers and Enfield Town.
He scored 83 goals in 140 appearances for Risborough before netting 34 times during Enfield’s promotion-winning Isthmian Premier Division campaign.
Wyllie made the step up from non-league football when he joined the Gills in 2024, a move which he remains proud of.
“Working up through non-league has been good, and I really enjoyed it,” he said.
“Signing for Gillingham, and moving there from non-league into the EFL, it’s obviously not easy to do, but I would definitely say that was my proudest moment [in football].”
Wyllie played 16 matches in all competitions during his first season with Gillingham, scoring against Crystal Palace under-21s in the EFL Trophy.
His first Football League goal came in a 4-1 win over Chesterfield last August, while he also found the net in another 4-1 victory, over Fulham under-21s in the EFL Trophy.
He spent the second half of both of his campaigns away on loan, most recently with Ebbsfleet United in National South, where he scored once against Torquay United.
Following his departure from Priestfield, Wyllie posted a farewell message to supporters.
“I’ll always be grateful for the opportunity to sign professionally,” he wrote.
“Two seasons full of ups and downs, but I enjoyed every minute and met some great people.”
Aldershot narrowly avoided relegation from the National League last season under former Gills boss John Coleman, who took charge in October and secured survival before leaving the club at the end of the campaign.
The Shots have been active early in the summer transfer window, also bringing in former Maidstone United midfielder John Gilbert and ex-Cray Valley defender Kiki Oshilaja.
