Gillingham boss Gareth Ainsworth reveals that Southampton loan keeper Ollie Wright is injury free and ready to make his debut this weekend at Priestfield

Goalkeeper Ollie Wright is expected to make his long-awaited debut this Saturday.

The on-loan Southampton player missed the whole of pre-season and the first three games of the new campaign with a thigh problem.

Wright, 23, has been declared fit ahead of Gillingham’s weekend game against Northampton Town.

Gills boss Gareth Ainsworth said: “You'll see Ollie on Saturday - I'm pretty sure of that, unless there is more [bad] luck to come.

“The voodoo cannot strike again so we're going to see Ollie on Saturday.

“He’s a cracking lad and absolutely champing at the bit.

“He's stepping out there on Saturday. Oli's my number one. He's coming.

“There's a reason why we got him in and hopefully you'll see it on Saturday and as I say, a real confident boy, good size about him, kicks really well, saves really well, comes for things. I mean, full package as a goalkeeper, he really is.

“I'm hoping that for such a young man, he has a fantastic career and can look back and go, ‘You know what, Gillingham, I cut my teeth there a little bit and that was great’.”

Wright played on loan at Accrington Stanley last season in League Two and the Gills made their move for the keeper early in the transfer window.

But Gillingham have been cautious in their approach to the goalkeeper’s injury, picked up shortly after he joined.

Owen Mason and Ashley Maynard-Brewer have played in the opening weeks as emergency loan cover.

Ainsworth is glad they were patient.

He said: “I'm so pleased that we made the decision to give him an extra week [to recover] because of his thigh. We don't want him to pull anything.

“The reoccurrences are the ones that kill me and there's a lot less chance now with that extra week.

“You get him on loan and within a week there's an