Talented midfield player joins the Gills in time for Tranmere game.
Gillingham Football Club have today beaten two fellow EFL League 1 clubs to the signature of talented left side midfield player Ben Pringle.
The 31-year-old former Championship midfielder has agreed a deal until June 2020 with the club retaining an option to extend it by a further year.
Pringle, who was with Preston last season, also enjoyed successful loan spells with the promoted Tranmere Rovers along with Grimsby, Oldham and Ipswich Town.
Ben is obviously well known to the management team having won back-to-back promotions from League 2 to the Championship, making 102 appearances and scoring 15 goals during those respective campaigns before securing himself a move to high-flying Fulham in the Championship.
The Manager said: “I am delighted to reunite Ben Pringle with Paul Raynor and myself after he delivered nothing short of a fantastic few seasons while we were in charge at Rotherham United. We found the player in the reserves and within a couple of seasons found himself playing for Fulham in the Championship.
“Whilst the lad has been considering a number of options from League 1 he has kept himself in top shape at Bolton Wanderers, primarily under Phil Parkinson. When we all heard the news he had left I immediately got in touch with Ben and there was an immediate desire to get back together and have a plan to reproduce the good times that we shared.
“He can play in central midfield; he can play on the left or the right. He is a top talent; I am delighted to secure him today considering that, possibly, over the weekend we had lost the opportunity to bring him here.”
The player added: “I have worked with the Gaffer before and we obviously had successful times at Rotherham. I am excited to get back playing.
“It’s always nice to work with someone again when you have had good times. I have played out wide most of my career, primarily on the left but I like to score goals and create chances and hopefully I can bring that to the team.
“I have played a few in house games; in terms of match fitness, generally, I’m ready to go. I was at Tranmere last season so it’s funny the way things happen but that’s the way it goes. It should be a good game and I’m looking forward to it.”
The Manager confirmed that Ben will be on the team coach travelling to Tranmere on Friday. The Gaffer did not rule out a further addition within the next 24 hours.