Spiller vents his frustration

Last updated : 14 April 2005 By Simon Head

Spiller: A favourite with the youngters

Since suffering a broken leg earlier in the season, Spiller has since returned to fitness, only to be struck down by the flu. Now fully fit, he has had to watch from the stands as the Gills have started to craw their way out of trouble.

While he is happy to see the club picking up results, Spiller is clearly becoming frustrated at his own situation at the club - and has said that he may have to consider his future.

Speaking to his official website, he said, "To say the past few weeks have been disappointing for me would be a massive understatement. Having been fit for some time now, I've not been included in any of our recent games and it's been very frustrating.

"When I first recovered from my broken leg, the manager decided against pitching me back into the squad because he wanted only fully fit players for the relegation battle ahead, and because the lads have now gone eight games undefeated, there has been no way back for me.

"I have also been excluded from playing in reserve games, just in case I pick up an injury, so I'm in a difficult position at the moment. Not only am I missing from first-team action, any fitness I picked up in my comeback game - a 90-minute run-out against Colchester reserves last month - is now fast diminishing."

Celebrating with Tommy Johnson against Charlton last season

It does seem that for whatever reason, Stan Ternent has decided that Spiller is surplus to his requirements at present - and this has left Spiller frustrated at being frozen out.

"Obviously when something like this happens, people start asking about your future and although I've still got two years left on my contract, I must admit that for the first time, I'm starting to wonder what the future holds for me here.

"I was happy with my form and things were going well for me prior to my leg break, but things can turn around quickly in footbalI, as I've since discovered.

"All I can do is hope for a game before the season's out, then really put in some hard work in the summer, and come back in pre-season with all guns blazing."

It is a stark contrast to last season, when Spiller picked up all three end-of-season awards at the Player of the Year Awards bash at Priestfield.

With just four matches left this season, it seems Danny Spiller may have played his last game for Gillingham in season 2004/2005. Whether he has played his last game for the club, full-stop, may become clearer in the summer.