Ainsworth backs Gills signing Palmer-Houlden to shine

Gillingham boss Gareth Ainsworth expects new signing Seb Palmer-Houlden to make a big impact for the League Two outfit next season.

The 21-year-old became the club's first summer arrival from Bristol City last month after spending the 2024-25 campaign at Scottish Premiership club Dundee.

Palmer-Houlden netted nine times in 39 appearances for the Dark Blues and Ainsworth is confident the youngster can continue to develop following his debut season in senior football.

"Goalscoring over the last couple of years has been something we've wanted to improve and Seb has an unbelievable record at youth level," Ainsworth told BBC Radio Kent.

"He went to Scotland for his first loan and again showed what he was capable of in glimpses. He's going to complement this team and this squad really well.

"The Rainham End are going to love him because he just never stops running, he never stops chasing. He's very much my type of player.

"He's going to have a good career this boy and we're excited to bring him here."

Only League Two's bottom club Morecambe found the net less times than the Gills in 2024-25 - by a single goal - and Ainsworth believes new man Palmer-Houlden can add ammunition to his side's lack of firepower.

"He wants to be a centre forward and an out-and-out centre forward playing for a team with something riding on it," he added.

"His progress was blocked at Bristol City because they have got some brilliant strikers and he's made a real brave decision to say 'no, I can do this'.

"It speaks volumes of the boy. Once we can get him in our regime, I'm sure he will be a success."

Ainsworth reiterated that he will play a big part in the club's recruitment this summer after joining from Shrewsbury Town in March.

"We've said no player will come through the building without my saying so – I want to make that clear. That was one of my big non-negotiables at the start," he said.

"There has been all sorts of stories about recruitment in the past here.

"Me and Hesko [head of scouting Andy Hessenthaler] go back a long way and I made my league debut with Ronnie Jepson (part of Hessenthaler's scouting team) so we've got a good team on the ground.

"But I think being the manager, if I'm the person that takes the successes and the failures on a Saturday, it is important that they are my players."

One of five players to sign a new deal to stay at the club beyond the summer - 31-year-old midfielder Bradley Dack - was praised by Ainsworth.

"Bradley is definitely a player with quality above this level," he added.

"There's been question marks obviously about how much he is going to play but when you saw the glimpses that I saw at the end of the season, I'd be stupid not to try and re-sign Bradley Dack.

"He's got a very busy life away from football and everyone knows that, but that's part and parcel of the character that is Bradley Dack.

"He's that flamboyant winner; a magic man sometimes."