WITH NINTH NEW FACE
Defender Ben Nugent is raring to go at Gillingham after signing a one-year deal at Priestfield.
The 24-year-old becomes the ninth new face to arrive at Priestfield since the end of last season as head coach Ady Pennock reshapes the squad he inherited from Justin Edinburgh.
Nugent spent the last two years at Crewe and boosts Pennock’s defensive options ahead of Saturday’s League 1 trip to MK Dons.
A former team-mate of Gills midfielder Billy Bingham at Gresty Road, Nugent was given the inside track on what awaits him at Priestfield.
“I have been training for a week and a bit and it is nice to have got it all sorted,” said Nugent.
“I’m an out and out defender and that’s me in a nutshell. I like to put my foot in and make tackles.
“I like to think I can play a bit but predominantly I am a defender.
“I played with Billy Bingham at Crewe. He gave me the lowdown on Gillingham and told me there were a good bunch of lads and a good environment. I also knew Tom Eaves from my time on loan at Yeovil Town.”
Nugent played 59 games over two seasons at Crewe but left at the end of last season, nursing an injury.
Now back to full fitness, he appeared for Gillingham in a behind closed doors in-house game on Tuesday.
“You don’t want to rush into anything, plus I had an injury, I had to get back fit from that,” added Nugent.
“I had that from the end of last season. You want to get something sorted before the season starts.
“I am training with the boys and (have been) doing extra on my own, to get my match fitness up.”
Nugent played 12 games for Cardiff in the 2012-13 season they won the Championship title. He was named young player-of-the-year that season.
But he never played in the Premier League and had loans at Brentford, Peterborough and Yeovil before joining Crewe.
“In my first season, I broke into the team and played some games,” said Nugent. “That was a good season.
“I never expected to be so involved and it was surreal to be chucked in. It was crazy to have started my career with that much of a high.”
Pennock added: “I’m pleased to get Ben on board, he provides good competition in the centre of defence.
“We’re a little bit short on centre-backs and with Ben it’s a case of he does what it says on the tin.
“He’s a winner, he’s played a lot of games in the league and the type of character we need.”