Gillingham must revisit Watford for fresh transfer agreement to really excite supporters: View
If Mark Bonner wants to crank up the excitement level at Priestfield, the loan return of a certain Colombian forward could be just the ticket.
Hurtado’s brief Gills stint captivated fans with electrifying pace & style, evoking memories of Asprilla.
Loan return could benefit all parties, giving Hurtado chance to shine in League Two & club a cult hero.
Gills fans eagerly await Hurtado’s potential comeback, hoping for another season of exciting moments.
After a frustrating season in 2023-24, Gillingham are looking to bring the good times back to Priestfield as new boss Mark Bonner targets key additions to the squad in a bid to build a promotion-winning side.
And if the club wanted to rediscover the feel-good factor that helped power the club to a strong start to last season, they could do much worse than bring back a player whose fleeting appearances in a Gills shirt last term gave the fans some of the most exciting moments of the season.
When Colombian forward Jorge Cabezas Hurtado was announced as a loan signing for the club back on February 1, the most common reaction from the fans was, “Jorge who?” But the 20-year-old loanee from Watford did something few Gills players have managed in recent years – he got the fans out of their seats.
Hurtado may only have made three substitute appearances for the Gills before suffering a season-ending knee injury, but he arguably did more to excite the fans in those brief 76 minutes in a Gills shirt than the rest of the club’s forwards mustered across the entire season.
Hurtado a lower league Asprilla
The reason? His energy. Hurtado’s pace and direct running, coupled with his flamboyant style, made him an instant hit with the Gillingham faithful, with his third appearance for the Gills – a 45-minute showing in a 2-2 draw with Swindon Town – his best, but sadly last, appearance in a Gills shirt last season.
Ironically, it was Hurtado’s best moment that directly led to him being injured, as he picked up the ball in the middle third and proceeded to charge through the Swindon team before being cynically cut down inside the penalty area. His run evoked memories of Colombian legend Faustino Asprilla and, just like “Tino” often did for the likes of Parma and Newcastle United, Hurtado had the fans on their feet in appreciation.
