KEVIN Maher will today join Gillingham on loan until the end of the season from Southend United.

The move will end the midfielder's 10-year association with the Shrimpers and comes after he recently dropped down the pecking order at Roots Hall.

The 31-year-old, who has also been captain at Blues for the past six seasons, has not figured in Steve Tilson's first team since the 1-0 defeat at home to Bristol Rovers on New Year's Day.

Since then Nicky Bailey has partnered Alan McCormack in the centre of the park and Maher has struggled to even make the squad.

Teenager Franck Moussa has now also moved above the former Tottenham Hotspur trainee in Tilson's plans and that has led to Maher's departure.

Swindon Town were also interested in securing his services but Maher will plump for the Gills whose manager Mark Stimson is an ex-Roots Hall team-mate of the midfielder.

The move will also see Maher link up with a quartet of other former Southend players -Simon Royce, Garry Richards, Mark Bentley and Stuart Thurgood - and means he will not go on to break the club's all time appearance record.

He currently stands third on the list having played 454 times for Blues but seems unlikely to rise any higher and overtake second placed Sandy Anderson, who made 483 appearances, or the leader Alan Moody (506).

Despite that Maher will forever be remembered with fondness at Roots Hall after captaining the side during arguably their most successful ever period as they secured back to back promotion to surge from League Two into the Championship.

He was also skipper for the Shrimpers in two LDV Vans Trophy finals and for their 1-0 victory over Manchester United in the Carling Cup.

That helped Maher twice win the supporters' player of the year award and he has deservedly been given a testimonial, which will still take place even though he has left.

Maher is set to make his Gillingham debut away at Brighton tomorrow night and will be looking to help his new side stay in the league.

They are 20th in the table and are only above the relegation zone on goal difference, although they do have two games in hand on three of the four sides below them.