Gillingham sign Ashley Nadesan from League 2 rivals Crawley Town for an undisclosed fee

Gillingham included a new striker in their official squad photo on Thursday - hours before unveiling him to the fans.

The Gills have signed 28-year-old Ashley Nadesan from Crawley Town for an undisclosed fee. The newcomer was announced prior to the fans’ forum at Priestfield on Thursday night.

Nadesan, who was wearing the no.10 shirt on Thursday, is a former Crawley team-mate of Tom Nichols and the front-man has moved to Gillingham just over a week before the new League 2 season gets under way.

The 6ft 2in forward has plenty of pace and boss Neil Harris is delighted to have another option in the building - particularly as Oli Hawkins remains out injured.

Nichols and Nadesan could partner each other at Dagenham on Saturday in what is Gillingham’s final first-team friendly.

Harris said: “He’s a different type of striker to what we have got, we have big Oli in the team who is 6ft 6in and competes for everything and Nico technically is an excellent footballer with a huge goal threat as well.

“We felt that for a period we have lacked maybe a different option, someone who has got that pace to run behind, we had the Scott Kashket option last year.

“Nadders comes with League 2 experience and even with his age I feel we can still develop into a better, more prolific goalscorer than he has been. I think that comes with style of play, trying to suit his strengths as well.

“There will be a lot of games this year where we are going to have to play in behind teams, we’re going to have to get after the ball. He is so athletic, so quick, and clever as well, good at pressing.

“We will have different combinations at times, with strikers, Ash comes in having previously played unbelievable well with Tom Nichols over a period of time, a