Gillingham’s Jake Turner on his path to becoming a professional goalkeeper via Bolton Wanderers and Newcastle United

Goalkeeper Jake Turner feels he’s benefited from a less traditional route into the professional game.

It was only 10 years ago that he decided goalkeeping was for him - having played much of his junior football outfield. He once went on trial at Crewe as a defender.

A chance for a trial in goal at Bolton came after being spotted by a scout, filling in between the sticks for his junior Sunday side as their regular keeper was on holiday. He joined the Wanderers academy - as a keeper - and he hasn’t looked back.

Turner, who is preparing for Gillingham’s weekend trip to Doncaster, said: “I didn’t play outfield at the highest level and I was probably not very good at the back but it helps with the way goalkeepers play now.

“You have to have the ball at your feet, playing centre-mid and striker or centre-back, it has helped with that side of the game, but it is so much different been in goal and I have been doing that for most of my adult life - even if I don’t feel like much of an adult!

“I feel like I have learned a lot more and I do feel comfortable on the ball.”

He admitted the trial at Crewe, which in his school days was “a weird one”, adding: “Looking back I was not ready to play outfield!”

Not long after he was invited to train with the youngsters at Manchester United by family friend Rene Meulensteen - then assistant boss at the Red Devils. He took his keeper gloves for a taste of the big time.

Turner, now 24, spoke about the turning point of his career, when he was asked to go to Bolton on the same week as his stint at United, saying: “I had played in goal when I was much younger for our Sunday side but it was quite a good team, I got bored, my dad was the manager and it made it a bit easier, I came out of goal,