SIMON ROYCE RUMOURED TO BE OUT FOR SIX WEEKS
Saturday 12 December
Bad news on Thursday from the Gills camp when manager Mark Stimson suffered a major set-back on when it was reported on BBC Radio Kent that a first team Gills player, was involved in a car accident and had sustained a knee injury. The player had been taken to a nearby hospital for scans.
Mark Stimson had refused to name the player but said that he would be a definite non-starter at Huddersfield. When the team was announced at the Galpharm Stadium it confirmed what GillsConnect had since learnt, in that the player concerned was regular goalkeeper Simon Royce (pictured above). It was reported to GillsConnect that Simon had been knocked over in the road by a car, near to his home, and following hospital scans, he could be out for up to six weeks. This rumour has now been confirmed by the Club.
Some good news from Manchester is that Gills exciting loan striker, Febian Brandy (left) is due back to Priestfield much earlier than expected following his thigh muscle injury at the Leyton Orient game.
So the good news is that as early as next week Febian could be back on the training ground with his Gills teammates eliminating the fear that Febian would not be available for the remainder of his loan period, which ends with the Swindon away game on Saturday 16 January.
Manager Mark Stimson, will not be in any hurry to involve Febian in first team action and will wait until sure the injury has healed but will be hoping that Febian will be available for the Boxing Day home match against Brentford.
From Kent Today Mark Stimson said, "I have spoken to him and he’s improving," said Stimson. "The games come thick and fast over Christmas and we need to be careful we don’t bring him back too soon.
"We’ll just go by what Manchester United’s guidelines are. He said he felt good and he’ll start training next week and playing in two to three weeks if there is no reaction”.
Meanwhile more good news in that another Gills loanee, centre-half Matt Fry (right) has extended his loan spell from West Ham for a further month, and so is available for selection throughout the hectic Christmas schedule.
Young Matt has proved to be an excellent replacement for Gills long-term injury casualty, Simon King and has been a revelation in the heart of the Gills defence along with defensive partner Josh Gowling.
During Thursday’s press conference Mark Stimson was delighted to reveal that, "We've taken his deal up for a further month now, so that's good and there is a possibility that at the end of that month it can be extended to the rest of the season.
"It's massive for us because a left-footed center-half is like gold dust and with Josh Gowling missing for two games it's really important that we've been able to keep him."
Earlier Mark had admitted Gills will certainly miss Josh Gowling (left) after the defender picked up a two-match ban following his tenth booking of the season.
Josh will therefore not be available for Huddersfield on Saturday and the Stockport home game the following week.
Finally it was revealed this week that League Two Dagenham & Redbridge are very keen to negotiate a deal with the Gills on keeping Gills midfielder Adam Miller (left), currently on loan with them.
Adam Miller is expected to play his final game for the Daggers against Bury this Saturday.
Following an impressive spell at Dagenham their management team hope to finalise a permanent move for Miller for it to be concluded this week.
