GO AD FREE | Get your Digital Subscription for only 50p a week! Use code SUMMER
GET STARTEDMore on KentOnline
Danny Kedwell will play for Gillingham’s development squad against AFC Wimbledon on Tuesday night.
The striker is looking to fight back into the Gills’ first-team reckoning after struggling to win a spot back in the squad following injury.
Gills boss Peter Taylor made no apologies for leaving Kedwell out in recent first-team games and is just as keen as supporters to see him win his place back.
“Nobody is a guaranteed a first team start,” said Taylor.
“In Danny’s case, unfortunately for him, he had a leg injury and then had an injection on it. I didn’t include him in the JPT game because we are restricted to five subs.
“Last week I didn’t think he was as focused as he should have been which, to me, is not like Danny and I am just being honest about the situation.
“I pick what I regard as the best XI and the best substitutes but people have to earn that, they have got to be good in the week and good on a matchday and so on.
“Danny didn’t lose any hunger or desire but maybe his determination to say, ‘I am going to get as fit as I can be to get in your team’. That’s got to be the attitude I’ve got to have. I didn’t think I was getting that.
“We’ve had it out, I didn’t take him on Saturday, we had a very good conversation on Monday, he assures me he is as committed as he has always been and we are going to move on. I am not going to treat people differently because they have been here longer, or whatever, I think I am pretty consistent like that.”
Taylor’s decision to pick Luke Norris in the team on Saturday paid off, with the striker scoring twice in a 2-1 win.
The Gills manager said: “I heard some of the supporters during Saturday’s game singing ‘we want our Kedwell back’ because Danny is a popular player among supporters. Well, so do I, but I am only going to pick who I think deserves the shirt on that particular day.
“It is not going to be a long-term problem."