"It would be silly" - Gillingham, Bradley Dack contract claim issued | OneFootball

The 31-year-old is still in discussion over a new deal to stay at the Priestfield

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Gillingham are set to embark on a fourth straight League Two campaign in 2025/26, as Gareth Ainsworth looks to bring the club back to the third tier in his first full season at the Priestfield Stadium.

Under Ainsworth, Gillingham have a manager who will automatically see them as one of the favourites to get into League One, where they spent nine seasons before their 2022 relegation, but they also have players in their squad who, on their day, can be seen as third tier standard.

None more-so than Bradley Dack, who returned to the club where his career started on a free transfer last summer following his release from Sunderland. However, his return season was rather disappointing, with injuries limiting him to just five League Two starts.

With the club stating that they are in contract discussions with the 31-year-old via their retained list, it could be that Dack's return ends up being short-lived and uneventful.

But, according to FLW's Gillingham fan pundit, Rhys Mortley, Gills should look to keep Dack around as, when fit, there aren't many better players in the fourth tier.

Gillingham fan pundit makes "high quality" claim about Bradley Dack

Bradley Dack made close to 200 Gillingham appearances in his first stint at the club, with his best season coming in 2015/16, where he netted 13 and assisted a further 10 as the Gills recorded their best league finish since Championship relegation in 2005.

But, the famous saying is that you should never go back, which Mortley recognises.

"People say you shouldn't go back to your original club, as you could leave a sour taste in the mouth if you don't perform as you were remembered to," Rhys told FLW.

"But Bradley Dack has had some real injury troubles, and that's why he's down in the lower echelons of the league."

Mortley feels that if Dack, who completely missed 23 league games this season, can get fit again, he could be one of the better players in League Two.

"If we can get him in a position where he'd be playing more, his experience and undoubtedly high level of skill would be something that we need," Rhys added.

"I think it would be worth the punt to keep him at the club as he is someone a lot of clubs would be envious of if we could keep him fit.

"He has that winning mentality, he knows what it means to be Gillingham, and I think it would be silly if we didn't find a way to keep him at the club."

Bradley Dack's post-pandemic injury history has been shocking, but Gareth Ainsworth could give him a new lease of life

Between 2015 and 2019, Bradley Dack was someone you could rely on to score and assist at high volumes, no matter the level or club he was playing for.

His 27 goal contributions in Blackburn Rovers' League One promotion season, followed by a further 22 in his first at Championship level, had him touted as a future top-end second-tier attacking midfielder.

Six years after the culmination of his first Championship campaign, however, Dack is now playing in League Two, having failed to appear in half the league games in five of his last six seasons.

It's been a tough half-decade for Dack, who clearly has the quality in him still, especially for a club in the fourth tier.

But ultimately, it's up to Gillingham this summer to decide whether that class trumps his obvious injury issues when it comes to offering him a new contract.