by Luke Cawdell

Gillingham will be taking a step up in class this season and captain Barry Fuller knows the team will have to battle just as hard as last season.

Fuller led the team to League 2 promotion after being handed the captaincy by manager Mark Stimson and he’ll be keeping the players focused on their priorities.

He said: "No disrespect to Accrington in League 2 but when you go there you know they aren’t the best. Everywhere we go in League 1 we are going to get a hard game.

"There are some massive clubs and also clubs who will fight with you. We need to stand up against them because if we don’t, then we will get pushed over easily.

"Confidence will be the key. If we fear anyone we are fighting against it already. We have a strong, hungry squad and the boys are confident."

Full story in our 8-page Gills pre-season supplement in Friday's Medway Messenger.