Gillingham included a new striker in their official squad photo on Thursday - hours before unveiling him to the fans.

The Gills have signed 28-year-old Ashley Nadesan from Crawley Town for an undisclosed fee. The newcomer was announced prior to the fans’ forum at Priestfield on Thursday night.

Nadesan, who was wearing the no.10 shirt on Thursday, is a former Crawley team-mate of Tom Nichols and the front-man has moved to Gillingham just over a week before the new League 2 season gets under way.

The 6ft 2in forward has plenty of pace and boss Neil Harris is delighted to have another option in the building - particularly as Oli Hawkins remains out injured.

Nichols and Nadesan could partner each other at Dagenham on Saturday in what is Gillingham’s final first-team friendly.

Harris said: “He’s a different type of striker to what we have got, we have big Oli in the team who is 6ft 6in and competes for everything and Nico technically is an excellent footballer with a huge goal threat as well.

“We felt that for a period we have lacked maybe a different option, someone who has got that pace to run behind, we had the Scott Kashket option last year.

“Nadders comes with League 2 experience and even with his age I feel we can still develop into a better, more prolific goalscorer than he has been. I think that comes with style of play, trying to suit his strengths as well.

“There will be a lot of games this year where we are going to have to play in behind teams, we’re going to have to get after the ball. He is so athletic, so quick, and clever as well, good at pressing.

“We will have different combinations at times, with strikers, Ash comes in having previously played unbelievable well with Tom Nichols over a period of time, a really good partnership at Crawley. He can definitely play with Oli Hawkins.”

Nadesan scored seven goals last season and had been tipped to sign for Sutton United this summer but they have brought in former Gills man Scott Kashket. Former clubs include Fleetwood and Carlisle and he’s spent the last four years at Crawley.

It will be a blow for Crawley to see another quality forward head to their League 2 rivals.

Nichols’ January switch to Priestfield helped the Gills turn their season around. Both forwards will now be key in trying to push for promotion in 2023/24. Goalkeeper Glenn Morris is another ex-Crawley player at Gillingham.

In addition to Nadesan, Harris remains looking for top-end additions and the club are looking to add “one or two more” before the transfer window closes.

“We are still searching for the top end of the pitch,” said Harris.

“I am very conscious that we were a little short of goals last year, first half of the season we were short of a lot of things. Second half of the season we scored a hell of a lot more goals but to be at the top reaches of the division we still need different avenues to be creative and score goals.

“Top end of the pitch is the hardest position to recruit, they come at a premium, and they are very sought after.

“We have had to be very patient with Nadders and we have had to be patient with other targets. It’s been well publicised that we have missed out on one or two. Nadders is certainly the type of striker we have looked for because he can stretch play and he is electric, to be honest.

“He is one of the best I’ve seen in the lower leagues in timing his runs off the shoulder (of a defender), getting in behind teams, down the side of teams. A lot of teams play a back three and you have to work the ball down the side.

“I felt at times last year we were a little one-dimensional in our play, with Oli and Tom up top. We did have other options but not that player to run in behind and Nadders’ timing and movement and decision-making is there and maybe that bit of instinct in the final third just needs to be harnessed but as he points out to me, he has not always played in a Crawley team that played in a style that suits him.

“This year when you have to stretch teams and get in behind teams. Nadders will come to the fore in those scenarios.”