Connor Essam believes his pace and build can help him make an impression on the Gills first-team over the coming months.
The teenager, in his second year as a pro at MEMS Priestfield, has been recalled from his loan spell at Dartford and could have made his first-team debut for the Gills last weekend had a frozen pitch not caused the game with Hereford to be postponed.
But despite having to wait for his debut, the level-headed centre-back believes he can now make his mark in npower League Two.
He said: "I'm obviously quite big and strong but a little bit of pace helps in this league. I think maybe that's what we're struggling with at the moment, so that's quite important, and it's nice to be able to play when you can.
"I have enjoyed being a pro, but it's been frustrating at times. You turn pro and think 'I just want to play', but if I played in the first week when I'd just started being a pro, I probably wouldn't have been ready. The gaffer knows that, he knows his players and he knows when you're ready.
"It has been a long 18 months but I think he's done it right. He didn't want to spoil me as a player - I could have ended up going in, making a mistake and that could have ended me. It's better to be patient and get a chance when you're ready."
After previous loan spells at Bishop's Stortford and Dover, Essam has just returned from Princes Park, and he believes it was a very beneficial spell in the Blue Square Bet South.
He added: "When the gaffer said to me that the Dartford centre-half had got injured, I automatically wanted to go. I hadn't had my chance here yet, obviously when you're sitting around not playing games, you lose your fitness and confidence so I went out there and I really enjoyed it.
"They're a good team, they play good football and they've got really good fans and when they're winning as well, it just improves everything about you. You're more confident, you're fitter, you're sharper and for this situation, if the gaffer does need me, I'm match fit and ready to play.
"I'd never met the Dartford manager Tony Burman before, but I got on well with him. He's a good manager, he likes to play as well which suits me."
Being well over six foot tall, Essam looks like a centre-half - but he revealed that has not always been his position.
"I used to be a striker," he said. "I came to Gillingham when I was about 10 as a striker. I played striker for years. It was just coincidence, Bryan Bull, one of the Centre of Excellence coaches, put me at right-back for a game, just because of the numbers we had.
"I had a great game so I played at right-back for a couple of months and then I ended up playing at centre-back. He obviously had no idea how big I was going to be at the time.
"I was always one of the smaller ones, even at 14, 15, I was never one of the bigger ones. I don't know if he could sense anything or if it was a lucky gamble! I've got a brother who's smaller than me, my Dad's smaller than me. I don't know where I get my height from, but it's handy to have now.
"I could do a job up there if needed! I have a few incidents in training where I get a bit excited, but I'll always be a centre-back now - I think I've found my position and I enjoy playing there."
