Chris Palmer became the latest player to head out of the Banks’s Stadium, having moved to Gillingham on a free transfer.

It seems that reports that the player had signed a new contract with the club were premature, as the Official Site now says that he turned the offer down. The embarrassment to the club, when they said that he had agreed his new contract, is obvious, as it would seem it could only have been a verbal agreement.

I, for one, wouldn’t be that disappointed to see the player go in normal circumstances, as I don’t think he was ever a good enough defender to fulfil one of the full back roles, but with Anthony Gerrard also having departed, this news leaves the playing squad in an even more parlous condition than before and does little for the confidence of supporters for the season ahead.

A Supporter’s Trust spokesman has already commented that we wished Gerrard well, but would expect to see some of the funds gained from his sale spent on strengthening the team, but this makes that even more imperative, with barely a month left before the start of the new season and a squad that is woefully weak in all areas, other than goalkeeper.