Ebbsfleet United have signed former Southend United midfielder Michael Timlin until the end of the season.

Timlin, who turns 35 in March, joins the Fleet having left Stevenage Borough this week after an 18-month stay at Broadhall Way.

Ebbsfleet director of football Steve Lovell revealed he tried to sign Timlin when he was manager at Gillingham.

Lovell said: "I’m delighted to sign him. I tried to get him when I was manager at Gillingham and he was at Southend.

"That didn’t come to anything so to get him now is great for us.

"He’s a very experienced player with a lot of league games behind him and he will bring a lot to us. He’s really looking forward to the challenge ahead.

"He’ll slot into that position we identified in central midfield and he knows the game. He’ll really benefit our boys being in there. They’ll get a lot from him.

"That’s four we’ve got in now and perhaps a couple more we need to add to give us a good chance and the best opportunity we can to stay in this league.

“We’re working on that all the time. It’s something I’ve been looking to do and it’s the reason I’ve been brought in, to identify and bring those players in and that’s what I’m aiming to do.”

Timlin started his career at Fulham but is best known for more than 200 league appearances at Southend, where he played alongside current Ebbsfleet forward Myles Weston.

He was a regular for Stevenage last season and has featured 23 times this season, his last outing coming against Oldham last Tuesday.

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