Quitting Ebbsfleet United never crossed midfielder Michael Timlin's mind despite month-long spell on sidelines due to club's transfer embargo
Published: 06:00, 05 March 2020
Michael Timlin insisted he never considered walking away from Ebbsfleet during their transfer embargo.
The former Stevenage midfielder signed for the Fleet in January but didn’t make his debut for a month due to an unpaid tax bill.
Other players might have looked elsewhere but Timlin was happy to take the word of Fleet boss Kevin Watson and director of football Steve Lovell.
“I was fully committed to the scenario,” insisted Timlin. “The one thing I wanted to make sure was would it get sorted out eventually?
“Obviously the gaffer and Steve Lovell, they reiterated that it would get sorted, although it might take another week or two.
“The frustration was that I wasn’t able to play but the main thing for me was that I was definitely going to get the chance.
“There were enough games for me to have an impact. I know I might not be the prettiest on the eye or the most spectacular in games but I’ll be totally committed and I’m an organiser.
“I’d like to think I’ve started to bring that to help the boys. It’s one of those, the longer it was going on it was a bit worrying but thankfully the chairman sorted it out.”
The 34-year-old has fitted into Ebbsfleet’s midfield and brings a calmness to their National League relegation battle.
And after completing back-to-back 90 minutes, Timlin is determined to make sure no one can doubt his commitment to the cause.
“I strive to do the best I can and prove people wrong,” he said. “Even at my age now, I know people might want to make out that I’m quite old but I’m determined to make sure I’m counted on every minute of every game.
“It’s been tough for the gaffer and Tristan (Lewis, assistant boss) to get things right and implicate what they want to do but I think we’re getting there now.
“The boys are fully onside with them, and I feel that we are going in the right direction.
“We have to make sure we don’t get too disappointed with the result against Stockport but make sure we put things right against Hartlepool.”
Timlin has urged his team-mates not to get carried away with attacking intent during the final nine games of the season.
There’s a fine line between pushing for three points – and throwing away what could be a vital draw in the process.
“We have to realise that not every game we have to go and win, we have to at least get a draw,” said Timlin.
“Going to Hartlepool is a tough game and we want to make sure we put on a good display for our fans.
“We have to make sure we’re not getting too gung-ho in throwing bodies forward and leaving ourselves exposed.
“The frustration for us is that we’ve conceded quite a few goals in recent games from set pieces.
"They say 50 per cent of your goals throughout the season is set pieces so we have to tidy up on that.
“We have to be demanding on ourselves individually and collectively to make sure we’re doing things right.
"We have to go for it now, every game we have to be on the front foot, stand up and be counted and see where it takes us.”
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Matthew Panting