Herne Bay manager Steve Lovell can call upon former club Gillingham if he needs fresh faces during the Isthmian South East campaign

Steve Lovell isn’t ruling out signing young players from former club Gillingham on loan at Herne Bay.

Bay have revealed in recent weeks new summer arrivals ahead of the start of pre-season training today (Tuesday).

Lovell was appointed as Herne Bay’s new boss on a two-year deal last month as they return to competing in Isthmian South East this season.

The former Gills striker has been in charge at Priestfield twice, once leading to Lovell taking the top job permanently and once just on a caretaker basis.

With the League 2 outfit, now led by Neil Harris, set to introduce a younger side alongside the first-team, Lovell is open to taking any of their young players on board to give them senior experience if the circumstances suit both parties.

“You leave your options open on any avenue to get players in,” he explained. “I’ve, obviously, got a good relationship with Gillingham.

“Any youngsters we perhaps might need to have during the season, it’s nice to be able to ring them up and ask them for help.

“But we will see how pre-season starts.”

Bay will welcome a Gillingham XI to Winch’s Field on Saturday, July 22, with Gills also having a trip to National League South Dartford organised for that same day.

Lovell said: “It’s nice that they’re bringing a team down. It’ll be a good run-out for us. Obviously, they’ll have two games going on that weekend, so I guess there will be a mixture. But it’ll be nice.”

They also have warm-up matches at home to Lordswood (July 4), Canterbury City (July 8), Lewisham (July 11), Margate (July 14) and Deal Town (July 18) pencilled in, alongside a trip to VCD on July 25, as well as their Gills game.

Lovell added: “Pre-season is all about getting players fit and trying to understand the way we’re