Daryl McMahon has thanked the Ebbsfleet players and supporters after leaving the club by mutual consent.

McMahon was Fleet manager for three-and-a-half years but his reign came to an end last Wednesday.

The 35-year-old joined the club as a player in 2013 and held numerous positions at Stonebridge Road.

McMahon said: "I'm disappointed because I've loved my time at the football club.

"It's been a big part of my life for five-and-a-half years - and my family as well. My wife's come to every home game and a lot of away games as well so I'm gutted to be going but it's life and I've got to move on now.

"I've got so many good memories. As a player, the second half of the first season was exciting when we got on a good run.

"You always remember goals you scored and I was proud to be captain of a good side under Steve Brown.

"Setting the academy up and having people like Shilow Tracey come through, who we sold to Tottenham, was brilliant and a great education for me.

"Managing, in the first year, it was something like 14 wins in 16 games, a great start and we played some good football.

"The biggest moment was getting up. We had 10 men, losing 1-0 and managed to win the game when everything was against us. That was a great day.

"Last season, one of my favourite memories would be Tranmere away even though we lost, with the fans singing for the team right at the end of extra time when everybody on that pitch had given everything they had for the club."

McMahon, who won 53% of his 149 league games in charge of Ebbsfleet, added: "I've learned so much.

"I've been in so many different situations, not just football-wise but with people, with players, staff, in different situations that you don't expect to be in that you have to learn from quickly and adapt to.

"As a manager, you're like a friend or a brother to people and it's been a great learning curve. I've loved it."

McMahon's successor, Garry Hill, takes charge of a team sitting 15th in the National League.

"That group of players are excellent and they're a great bunch of people as well," McMahon said. "I believe that group will get in the play-offs again this year.

"The supporters have been amazing. They've been very supportive of me.

"This week I've had loads of calls, messages, emails, really nice ones, and I'm really appreciative of the supporters. I think they're glad of what we did over the three-and-a-half years.

"We had some great times, three years in the play-offs and some of that in heartache as well but it's all part of the journey we created."

So what next for McMahon?

"I want to get back in straight away," he said. "I've already had two days off and that's enough for me!

"I'm going away with the family for a few days and then I'll be going to watch games at various different levels. I'll enjoy that but I'd like to get back in."