Striker Josh Andrews is finally it seems in a position to show the Gillingham faithful just why Stephen Clemence signed him for the Club eighteen months ago. 

Andrews’ time at MEMS Priestfield has been wrecked by injuries, but finally it would seem that the giant striker – who stands at six foot five in his Gills socks – is ready to play a major role as Gareth Ainsworth’s side look to push up the League Two table over the next nine months. 

“I am probably in the best place I have been personally for a couple of years!” Andrews admitted after coming off the bench in Tuesday’s Carabao Cup shoot out defeat against AFC Wimbledon.

“Its been a long time coming; I am trusting my body again and trying to put in all the effort and fitness that I need. It’s not something that is going to happen overnight, but I will get there!” 

“It’s been frustrating. I have worked hard to get my fitness and even had my own personal fitness plan from the coaches and thankfully it seems to have worked well. As I said, I think my body is feeling the best that it has for a long time and I am just looking forward to playing football really!” 

“It’s still very early in the season, but it would be nice to keep the unbeaten League run going,” Andrews said ahead of the weekend trip to Tranmere Rovers. “To keep that going, we will have a real chance and we all know that.” 

“I think it’s the grit and determination that the Gaffer has brought in and the fighting instinct he has instilled in us.”

“There have been occasions when we have been behind and had to claw back into a game. There have been times where we have been one-nil up and I think that our game management has really shown through in those last fifteen games where we have just stayed in games.”

“We might have struggled in front of goals, but we are not conceding either and that’s a massive credit to the whole team at how tight we have become.”

“The defenders have been unbelievable, the defenders have been saving some great shots – massive credit to them as they are keeping the ball out of the net and I think we have scored in nearly every game since the Gaffer’s come in; after all you get the same for a one-nil win as a five-nil win!” 

“Not playing has been tough to handle really, but you have to try and just switch the mentality to doing everything you can to get back. It has taken a while, but now I think I am where I want to be, it’s about now staying there and staying injury free.” 

Andrews, who is wearing the Gills number nine shirt this season, then admitted that given his injury woes, getting that squad number from Ainsworth had been a huge boost – he said, “It says a lot to me as the number nine is the number that I grew up wishing that that will be the number I would be wearing every week.”

“When you are, kit does give you a boost – some would say it comes with added pressure but I think it’s a great thing. To get a number in the first eleven from the Gaffer was a good thing and a big mental boost too – I would just like to score the goals that the number deserves!”