New signing says he will give everything he has as Gills prepare for 2023/24.
Gillingham's latest addition, Max Clark, perfectly fits the profile of the type of player the club are keen to attract: ambitious, hungry and a proven winner:
The talented left-back, who says he never gives anything under 100 per cent, played 47 games for a Stevenage side who earned promotion last year, so it's fair to say he's ticking every box.
The cultured defender has enjoyed spells for teams such as Hull, Cambridge and Vitesse, who play in the Eredivisie (the highest level of professional football in the Netherlands), as well as appearing for England's U16 and U17 international sides.
After inking his name on a Gills contract, meeting ME7 staff members and of course posing with his new shirt, Max sat down for his first interview where he opened up on his style of play, discussed his three enjoyable years in the Netherlands and revealed exactly what it takes to get promoted from Sky Bet League Two.
Here is what he had to say...
Delighted to join a team on the up
"I'm delighted to sign here, it's a great club. Just seeing the place, the facilities, I think it's a top club.
"In the second half of last season Gillingham were really kicking on. Seeing how well the team were doing after January really caught my eye."
Home comforts at Priestfield
"It is a very intimidating place to come. Last season, coming here, it was a very difficult place to come and play. It feels good to be on the home side this time. The fans come here in their numbers and show their backing."
Style of play
"I am an attack-minded, aggressive left-back. I work hard and give my all on the pitch, in training and in every game. I will fight for the team. I will fight for the players and the staff. I will give everything on the pitch and I won't turn down a challenge."
Friends reunited
"I played with Robbie McKenzie at Hull, we came through the academy together, and he is a good friend of mine. I spoke with him about the club so that is why I knew so much detail about it. He spoke so highly of it and it made me more comfortable to sign here. It will be nice to be back in the same team together, fighting to win games every week."
Tracked by Neil Harris
"I was aware that Neil Harris came in for me when he was at Millwall, so we have always had that connection. Just chatting to him and hearing his philosophy of how he wants to play this season really impressed me and that really was what the decision was made on.
"I know that he wants to succeed more than most people in the game, that was an eye-opener for me. It's always a positive thing when you have a good feeling. I want to come in and work hard and do well for him, for the team and the club."
You need leaders to get promoted
"You need leaders all around the team and I think Gillingham is full of them. It's a tough and difficult league and it's going to be even more competitive next season; we need to be all in it together and be a tight group who are all aiming to go in the same direction.
"We will have that drive to succeed in the league next season and I am sure we will find a way of winning a lot of games. Our aim is to get promoted."
Gaining experience in the top Dutch division
"It was a good experience and very different for me. It was a big risk but I wanted to take it. Going there on my own, it was difficult just leaving my family behind. It was a challenge I accepted and I was able to learn so much about the game.
"I enjoyed my time over there and it was just a different way of football. I have nothing but good things to say about the league over there. It's a bit more technical than it is in England. It was a good competitive league with some decent teams."
Ready to hit the ground running
"I always keep myself ticking over, if you have a long break it's harder to catch up. I'm always training every day and that is what is going to keep me in a better place going into pre-season.
"It's nice to know you have been training in the off-season a little bit just to keep those fitness levels so you can get off to a good start. Hopefully we all have a good pre-season and crack on with the campaign and have a good go at it."