Norwich City's prolific on loan striker Cody McDonald would consider staying with promotion-chasing League Two outfit Gillingham next season.

McDonald's latest weekend brace sunk Cheltenham to take his tally to 22 goals in 36 appearances for the Gills since agreeing a season-long loan switch as part of the deal that brought Simeon Jackson to Carrow Road. The 24-year-old is rapidly approaching the final year of his current Norwich deal – but conceded he is enjoying life with the Gills.

'I love it here, it's great,' he said. 'The supporters are brilliant, the players, staff, everyone has made me feel so welcome. It's been fantastic and you never know maybe something could be sorted for next season, but we'll just have to wait and see.

'I've still got a year left on my contract at Norwich so the ball's in their court. We'll have to wait and see, hopefully we can get something sorted. The Norwich manager told me to get some games and goals, and that is what I've done. It's in their court whether they want to let me go or keep me. It might depend on whether or not they get promoted.'

McDonald is now just one goal behind League Two's leading marksman, Bury's Ryan Lowe, but insists his priority is firing the Gills to promotion.

Andy Hessenthaler's men are just two points off the automatic promotion spots following the 2-1 comeback win at Cheltenham.

'That result will give us great confidence, not that we need it at the moment, but it will give us a massive boost,' he said. 'It was tough. Maybe the pitch wasn't as good as we thought, but I think we weathered it at the start and came away with a good performance in the end.

'The character of the boys is unbelievable. We just don't know when we are beaten even though we didn't get off to the best of starts.

'We shouldn't need to be told every week about getting off to a good start – but unfortunately that is exactly how it has been.

'The boys at this club have shown again what we are all about. I knew I was up there towards the top of the scoring charts and if I end up top scorer then that would be great but as long as the Gills get promoted that is all I am bothered about. It's hard because it's so tight, but we've got to try and concentrate on our own game and not worry about anyone else.

'There are a lot of teams up there who have to play each other, we've got to play Rotherham and Chesterfield, but on the run we're on we don't fear anyone in this league.'

Canaries' boss Paul Lambert praised McDonald's goalscoring impact only last month, but insisted the step up to Championship combat was a huge one.

'You've got to remember if the step up from League One into the Championship was an absolute breeze. Grant (Holt) and Chrissy (Martin) and Wes (Hoolahan) would have been on about 90 goals by now,' he said. 'It's different, you can't compare any league. If Norwich were ever lucky to go up to the next league it goes up again, the bar always raises, it always does. Cody is doing great at Gillingham, really great, scoring goals for fun, playing really well, but you have got to remember the gulf. The gulf is huge.'