Gillingham have handed one of their youngsters another opportunity to shine after initially releasing all of their second year scholars.

Versatile youth player Toby Bancroft, from Faversham, will return for another season when the Gills restart.

The Gills said he was given another chance after the club went back over some video analysis.

Bancroft was promoted from the club’s schoolboy programme to win a full-time scholarship along with the likes of Tommy Lamb, Charlie Blanks, Jay Hards and Harry Laing.

"He has been given a third year scholarship,” Gills boss Steve Evans confirmed, having been close to handing him a first team opportunity in the league during the latter stages of the 2019/20 season.

"I called Toby and him, along with his parents, were absolutely delighted. He has a chance."

The player made a handful of appearances for Isthmian League Premier Division side Wingate & Finchley before football was halted because of coronavirus. He had previously been on loan at Ramsgate.

His last game for them in the league saw him score in a 4-2 defeat to Worthing.

Described previously by academy manager Bryan Bull as a “good athlete who is a capable finisher," he scored an injury-time goal the last time the Gills played a competitive game, a 5-1 Kent Senior Cup win over Dover Athletic.

Bancroft scored with a composed finish after rounding the keeper in the game at Crabble.

The same player had come off the bench in a friendly match at Chatham Town last season - the first on the Southern Counties East club’s 3G pitch - scoring twice as the Gills came from behind to win the game 3-2.

Read more on the Gills