Gillingham manager Andy Hessenthaler insists he holds no grudge against Adebayo Akinfenwa after the forward’s decision to choose to move back to Northampton Town.

Hessenthaler admitted that the deal the Gills were able to offer Akinfenwa (pictured) was nowhere near what their League 2 rivals agreed with the big striker on Tuesday.

"They made him an offer that we just can’t compete with," said the Gills boss.

"He was made a two year offer and the package he has been offered is something we can’t get anywhere near. We sent him our best wishes and I had a chat with him before he went off on holiday on Wednesday.

"He has to do what is right for himself and his family. I got on well with him, we are good friends and we always will be.

"We will get promoted next year hopefully along with them. It would be nice to see that happen. I will always keep in touch with him because I have a lot of respect for the guy."

Akinfenwa joined the Gills at the start of the 2010/11 season after a successful stint with Northampton where in the previous campaign he top-scored for them with 17 goals and picked up the player-of-the-year award.

Last season with the Gills he added 11 more goals to his career total and claimed third place in the fans’ player-of-the-year poll behind Matt Lawrence and Cody McDonald.

Hessenthaler is now in the hunt for a replacement, saying: "We need a target man at the football club and maybe it will be a different type of target man.

"The big man was predominantly down the middle, he got the ball down and made things happen. Maybe the target man we are looking for can get around the pitch a bit more than the big man."

Who can replace the big man up-front for the Gills? Comment below.