BBC Sport - Football - Gillingham release midfielder Stanley Aborah (original) (raw)

Gillingham midfielder Stanley Aborah will leave the League Two strugglers after they announced they would not renew his deal.

The 23-year-old, who has represented Ajax in the Champions League, had been on a month-to-month contract.

He played just 13 minutes for the club, in the away game against Bradford but struggled with fitness since his arrival in the close season.

The club say the Belgian-Ghanaian was too much of a luxury.

The Gills think his wages will be better spent in other areas of the field.

Gillingham boss Andy Hessenthaler indicated after Saturday's 7-4 defeat at Accrington that he is keen to strengthen his defence.

And he will have been boosted by news that defender Simon King has been told he can return to full training by the end of October.

The 27-year-old has not played a competitive game since the 2009 League Two play-off final after suffering an ankle injury in a pre-season friendly.

King told BBC Radio Kent: "I finally feel I am progressing, but after a few setbacks last year I'm a bit apprehensive.

"In my head I said I'd be happy to play before Christmas, it gives me goose bumps even thinking about it.

"It will be nice to put that shirt on and walk out at Priestfield. I'm running twice a week, starting with straight line, I've incorporated a few twists and turns and there should be some more ball work soon.

"I don't think I can train every day. It might be I train Monday, take it easy Tuesday, a day off Wednesday, but as long as I am fit for Saturdays that's the main thing."

King was the Gills' player of the year in the 2008/9 promotion season but says the severity of what initially looked like a routine ankle injury may have been made worse after he played through pain in the closing weeks of that season.

"I played through a few knocks I had on my ankle in the last few games, but that injury at Bromley was the nail in the coffin," he said.

"There was more damage than I expected. I came back and tried running when I wasn't strong enough and all those setbacks added to it."

But King is not just thinking of playing again this season, he is also thinking about his long-term future.

He added: "I did injure a part of my ankle that is never going to be 100% healed. In the mornings I feel a bit stiff. Sometimes I may have to go out 10 minutes before the lads to get the ankle moving.

"I still don't know what it's going to be like. Hopefully it will be OK to keep walking when I finish football. You see Dean Ashton, his ankle has been fused, which is joining the bone together, and he walks on it fine.

"You want to have kids and you want to play with them, but first and foremost is my football career and once I get back I'll be happy."