ADAM Gemili has won the plaudits of his former Thurrock team-mate Glenn Poole after a gold medal winning display at the World Championships.

The ex-Fleet full-back put in a stunning display to help Great Britain win the 4x100m relay in London on Saturday.

Gemili ran the second leg in the final, executing a superb back-straight as the hosts edged out the USA by 0.05 seconds.

The sprinter is also a talented footballer, and spent a period on loan at Thurrock during the 2011/12 season.

And Poole said he was hugely impressed with Gemili, 23, when he played alongside him, and was pleased to see him take gold.

“I played with him for a few months before I left to join Billericay,” said Poole, 36.

“He was on loan from Dagenham & Redbridge and he was a lovely lad, a good player and, of course, he was very quick.

“He was quick with the ball but was a full-back that played the ball and run. He was an effective weapon for us and and was very fit and honest.

“I didn’t get to see the race but I saw it after and I am really pleased for him as we stayed in contact when he was competing at the Junior Olympics.

“It is always good to see people you played with succeed in anything they do.”

Poole was named on the bench for Thurrock’s opening match of the Isthmian Premier League season.

Fleet went down 1-0 against Margate, with Poole playing the final 25 minutes as he continues his recovery from shingles.

“Margate are a good side,” added Poole. “I fancied them to be up near the top come the end of the season before we played them and I have no reason to think they won’t be up there now.

“Some of our boys haven’t played at that level before and on another day it could have gone another way. If we play like that for the rest of the season we will be fine.”