Olly Lee won’t be putting up his hand for a breather despite the relentless Christmas schedule.

Gillingham manager Steve Evans was close to making changes before the weekend game against Rochdale and will assess the condition of his players once again before their home game with Portsmouth on New Year’s Day.

Lee, on loan from Hearts, joined the Gills to get minutes and that’s all he wants to do.

Asked if he would be up for a rest, he was quick to shoot the suggestion down saying: “No chance! A lot gets said about resources and having players who can come in and we definitely have players on the bench who can come in but I don’t want to give my spot up for anyone.

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“I will be fighting for that positon and it doesn’t matter if we play 10 games in 10 days, I want to play every minute of every game.

“The team we have got behind the scenes work really hard, we feel fit and strong and this is probably the best I have felt for a long time.

“I feel fit and ready to go and we are enjoying it. As a footballer sometimes training can get a bit repetitive so it’s nice to play infront of your own crowd and put a shift in, there is nothing better.”

Lee was replaced by Regan Charles-Cook on Sunday, with 81 minutes on the clock, and his departure was met by chants of “sign him up” by the Gills faithful.

He is on loan with the Gills from Scottish Premiership side Hearts

until January 27.

“I don’t know what is happening,” admitted the 28-year-old, who has played a key role behind the front two this season.

“I am enjoying my football, that is the main thing. I am really enjoying my time here, we will see what happens.

“I haven’t spoken to anyone at Hearts, I am just focussed on Gills at the moment.”

Lee was in the thick of the action in the win over Rochdale. He was denied a goal by the keeper after a close-range effort and was also denied a penalty, having had his legs taken from under him.

It didn’t matter in the end as Connor Ogilvie came up with a winner late on.

“It was a hard-fought game but we deserved the three points,” he said.

“We created the most and Connor got the goal for us at the end. He likes a late winner doesn’t he?! It comes off that big forehead of his and he is good at heading.

“I am really pleased for Connor, he’s a top man, he has played really well this season and deserved to get the winning goal.”

Ogilvie was the man pushed over late on as MJ Williams was sent off. And while the Gills player was on the floor, many of his team-mates piled in to confront the Rochdale midfielder who had also lunged at Alex Jakubiak.

“I was up from the bench too,” Lee admitted.

“We have a got a close-knit group...we fight for each other.”

Up next on New Year’s Day is a game against Portsmouth.

Lee said: “We thrive off playing against so-called big sides but we fancy ourselves against anyone.

“Teams are going to find it hard (at Priestfield), it’s tough for them, and hopefully we can get the win.

“We have got a good side here and it doesn’t matter how much money you spend, obviously it helps, but we have a good squad, 18 players who can really push each other and take us up in the league. I don’t think that we should be underestimated.”