Maidstone have signed former Gillingham defender Josh Hare.

The 22-year-old made three first-team appearances for Gills in 2014/15 but he suffered a series of injuries during his time at Priestfield.

Hare spent last season with Eastbourne Borough in National League South and is now set for a crack at non-league's top flight with the Stones.

Maidstone boss Jay Saunders said: "He came on loan when we were first back at the Gallagher.

"I’ve known him a long time, he played three or four games for me on loan when he was 17 or 18 and he was doing quite well at Gillingham.

"He had a bad injury and he had a year at Eastbourne getting himself back fit. He played 40-50 games for Eastbourne and he’s someone we’ve always kept an eye on.

"Nicky Southall knows him well from his Gillingham days and he’s someone I know as a person as well.

"What attracted me to him is that he can play a few positions. He can play right-back, centre-half and centre-mid so he’s a utility player which is always a bonus.

"He’s got experience of playing higher, experience of playing Conference South and playing 50 games last year on the 3G at Eastbourne, he’s used to the surface so he ticked all the boxes."

Hare, who also had a loan spell at Whitstable, signed his first professional contract at Gills in 2012 but had to wait until August 2014 to be given his debut - on his 20th birthday.

Four days later, though, he was stretchered off after suffering knee ligament damage during his home debut.

Hare returned to play for the Gills in a 3-1 defeat at Crewe later that season but more bad luck followed when he ruptured his lateral ligament during training.

The right-back was subsequently ruled out for a year when he suffered another serious knee injury during a pre-season friendly at Tonbridge in July 2015.

But Hare was back fit last season, helping Eastbourne finish 11th in National South.

Saunders said: "He featured under Justin Edinburgh a couple of seasons back and was doing quite well. Unfortunately for him, he had a bad knee injury.

"Justin spoke very highly of him, as everyone else has at Gillingham, saying he was just unlucky with injury.

"He gives us competition, he’s hungry and he wants to do well.

"When I spoke to him, he wants to kick on and get back in the League. He’s only 22 and I think he’s got a good chance of getting back to that level.

"Defensively, we haven’t got a lot of options so he gives us another option there. It’s still an area we’re looking to strengthen but he can do the holding midfield role, he can fill in at centre-half so he’s one I think gives us plenty of options. I think he’ll do well for us."