Keeping track of former players and management...
Former Gillingham midfielder Adam Miller has been forced to announce his retirement from professional football after spending two years trying to regain fitness following an ankle injury.
Miller had joined Cambridge United in July 2010 on a three-year contract but sustained an ankle injury against Eastbourne Borough just a few games in to the 2010-11 campaign.
Despite a number of operations, scans and treatment and following on going rehabilitation, the 30-year-old felt he was no longer able to maintain a career as a full-time professional.
Adam began his career as a trainee at Ipswich and played for a number of other clubs both league and non-league before initially joining the Gills on loan from Stevenage in November 2007. After signing a permanent deal two months later he went on to score 13 goals in 97 appearances.
Speaking on the Cambridge United website an obviously disappointed Adam said: “Over the last two years it’s been tough for me and tough for the club. I’ve undergone many different procedures to try and get back to fitness and unfortunately things haven’t worked out as we had hoped. I’m disappointed I was only able to play a few games for Cambridge and I’m devastated that this is the end of my career.”
He added: “Greg [Reid - physiotherapist] has been fantastic over these last two years and I am thankful for how he has made them that little bit easier. He is someone I highly respect and class as a good friend, as well as an amazing physio.
Another player to suffer injury problems is Welling striker Luis Cumbers who looks set to miss the remainder of the season after being told by a specialist that his knee injury will require surgery. The former Gillingham youngster suffered knee ligament damage in the first few seconds of the Wings draw at Tonbridge in late August.
Another ex-Gills midfielder, Richard Carpenter, recently played his first game in over a year for local side Faversham Town in their FA Cup draw against Kent rivals Margate at the Shepherd Neame Stadium. Unfortunately the midfielder, who turns 40 later this month, suffered a heel injury that forced him off after 75 minutes and it kept him out of the replay.
Carpenter, who played for Brighton, Fulham and Cardiff as well as the Gills, had been training with Ray Turner’s Lilywhites and wanted to help the club out. He made 142 appearances for the Gills having progressed through the youth ranks before a £15,000 fee took him to Craven Cottage in September 1996.
Richard Hill, one time assistant manager to Andy Hessenthaler here at Priestfield, has been appointed as the new boss of Blue Square Bet South club Eastleigh where he succeeds Ian Baird. The 48-year-old took charge for the first time recently for the Spitfires beat Maidenhead United 4-2.
Since departing Gillingham, Richard has held varied roles which include boss of Witney Town, technical advisor to the Ethiopian national side under Iffy Onuora and most recently assistant manager to John Gregory of FC Kairat of the Kazakhstan Premier League.