Gillingham offer too good to miss - Nicky Southall

Southall has made 375 appearances for the Gills

Gillingham's new player-coach Nicky Southall said the chance to return to Priestfield for his fourth spell at the club was too good to turn down.

Southall told BBC Radio Kent: "I'm pinching myself, I've only just finished my coaching badges."

The 38-year-old was Gillingham manager Andy Hessenthaler's player-coach at Dover Athletic.

"I heard nothing from Dover's new manager [Martin Hayes], so I thought I'd make his decision easier," he said.

Southall became the fourth member of Dover's management staff to join Gillingham this summer, after Hessenthaler, assistant Ian Hendon and academy coach Darren Hare.

"When Andy called me to ask if I'd come back, Dover hadn't been in contact and I assumed their new boss would want his own assistant," said Southall.

"As far as I was concerned, the opportunity arose at Gillingham, and being a Gills man through and through, it was too good to turn down."