Just as I received this response on Adam Birchall from Dover Athletic supporter Russ Laughton, the Whites confirmed Gillingham have matched the bids already accepted from Swindon Town and AFC Wimbledon.

Given Birchall is settled in Kent and has already stated Gillingham would be his preferred option, a move to Wiltshire now seems unlikely. Nonetheless, Russ’ views of Adam may still be of interest to Swindon supporters. In the style of Bullseye it looks like a case of ‘here is what you could’ve won…”.

When Birchall joined Dover two years ago did you think to yourself here comes another Football League drop out, soon to drift further down the pyramid?

Not quite. Barnet fans were quite keen on Adam and some felt he was partly a victim of a poor team. But whilst Adam wasn’t exactly a success in the League, a big reason for him dropping so low in the pyramid was that he wasn’t enjoying full-time football and wanted to pursue other interests such as opening a local football academy (which he has done successfully since). He joined Dover specifically to link-up with Andy Hessenthaler again who helped him to love the game, so the story goes, and play the best football of his career. It didn’t take too long for us to realise he was going on to bigger things.

Does Adam have any particular strengths or weaknesses in his playing ability or mentality?

Adam is the complete striker. His diminutive height is deceptive, he is powerful and quick, often holding off multiple defenders at a time in the penalty area, although winning a lot of headers might be a bit too much of an ask. His movement is exceptional, he drifts wide to bring wingers into play then will find space in the box for a right-place-right-time finish. He is a goal machine at our level but whilst he is a question mark in the higher leagues, his recent scoring record shows he is well worth the risk for a League side.

Whilst it is a valid point that he scored so many goals at a relatively low level, it should be borne in mind that he did so in a side that finished mid-table in that league, scoring over half of our 80-odd goals. As mentioned, his only obvious weakness is his height, and he will suffer in a side that lumps balls forward, as he sometimes did when Dover’s playing style was questionable.

His attitude, though, is second-to-none. He really is a consummate professional; humble, industrious and a fantastic ambassador for Dover. Being the star of our side, he was the first person the media wanted to talk to, and he always did us proud. For any flaws you might find in his game, you’ll never find any in his mentality.

Was Adam involved in any memorable games / goals?

Memorable would be an understatement. His time in the spotlight came in last season’s FA Cup, scoring 11 goals overall as the tournament’s top scorer, including 3 goals in the “proper” rounds against League opposition in Gillingham and Aldershot as Dover reached the Third Round. Whilst there are many goals Adam scored in the League that could be counted as memorable, the vast majority of these are unfortunately unavailable to watch again. For the best of the best, see Adam’s 30-yard belter at Priestfield on YouTube. And while you’re there, the extended highlights of the FA Cup home game against Aldershot show Adam dominating League defenders with his movement and energy.

How will Adam be remembered at The Crabble?

As genuinely one of the best to pull on our white shirts, and we’ve had some great non-league players in the past. Not just for the goals either, but his attitude, commitment, and how he did the club proud when it really mattered. As an example, he signed a long-term deal last summer, knowing full well that he would not be here that long, just to help the club out in their bargaining position when someone came calling.

I guess you’d want Birchall to stay at Dover and keeping him was always difficult after missing out on promotion, but can you understand his motivation to get back into the Football League?

Yes, more than you’d think too. We’d love to keep Adam, but we’re just mostly glad to have kept him this long, especially when Hessenthaler returned to Gillingham as many presumed he’d be Hess’s first target. No-one here begrudges him a move, he truly deserves it for the service he’s given in his relatively short time here. When the news broke that he was set to join Swindon (before the Wimbledon bid), the Dover fans present at our pre-season friendly that day were over the moon for him. (Albeit there was definitely a hint of “anyone but Gillingham” in there!)

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You can follow Russ on Twitter @RussLaughton

* Photo from bbc.co.uk