Ebbsfleet manager Dennis Kutrieb feels his players deserve every accolade they get for their title-winning season.

The Fleet finished 20 points clear of second-placed Dartford in National League South after signing off in style last Saturday with a 5-0 win over already-relegated Hungerford at Stonebridge Road.

The crop of 2023 put on a show in front of a bumper home crowd which included a host of former Fleet favourites, invited back to the club for their annual reunion.

“Maybe Fleet fans will speak about these players in 20 years, I don’t know,” said Kutrieb. “It’s always good to have legends here, players that have played here.

“It’s always nice but you have to make sure that everyone is on the same page if it’s not going in the right direction as well because it’s football.

“We could start the next season with five defeats in a row so no one will speak about records and what we have done then. We need to keep this momentum into next season, even the fans who are so enthusiastic and being happy with us.

“That’s what I always try to bring across to the players as well. We’ve created something this season but it’s not just that, look at how much joy the players were involved in.”

Kutrieb reckons the current crop of Fleet favourites enjoy their football more than most sides.

He believes there are many factors that have all added up to make an exciting team that scored a club-record 110 league goals and finished up with 103 points.

“I see so many games of football - League 2, National League, National League South - and there are not many teams where the players come off the pitch and say ‘I really enjoy what we are doing here’,” claimed Kutrieb.

“They do it because it’s their job, they do it because it’s a football club where they try to earn some money or make an impact to make a move somewhere else - do they really enjoy what they’re doing?

“We can see from our group that they were enjoying themselves and that’s what I try to create, that they enjoy to be on the pitch, to train and play games in this environment with a great stadium, good fans, outstanding owner, amazing CEO who tries to make everything happen for us.

“This is an environment where the manager likes to play football, not just kick it long.

“All these things, they contribute to being successful as a team and the boys are really enjoying it. That’s a big compliment to us as a club and me as a manager, they really like it.”

The Fleet boss was - almost - suited and booted for the final game of the season as he ditched his usual tracksuit for trousers and shirt and tie, along with a jumper. It was Kutrieb's way of paying tribute to his players for their achievements this season.

“I think just because of the occasion,” he said. “I wanted to pay the boys my credits because they delivered so outstandingly this season.

“I’ve told them 100 times but what can I do, I can tell them 101 times or I can make sure that I’m dressed up.

“If I went to a nice place or paid someone credit, or dressed up for an interview, whatever it is, I would always be dressed up.

“I wanted to pay my players that credit and congratulate them for having a great season.”