Released defender Osei Sankofa knew his days at Ebbsfleet United were numbered when he was dropped in the middle of their play-off campaign.

Sankofa is one of three players to have been let go by manager Steve Brown since the end of the season, alongside defender Paul Lorraine and midfielder Stacy Long.

The former Charlton player became a fixture in the Ebbsfleet defence once he came in for the injured Shane Huke in October. But having played in the first leg of the Skrill South semi-final against Bromley, which the Fleet won 4-0, Sankofa found himself on the bench for the return match.

He said: "When I was left out for the second leg, I was confused. We’d just won 4-0 and you rarely change a winning team, especially when I’d been part of the team for a long period of time."

Sankofa also missed out in the play-off final, left on the bench as Ebbsfleet lost 1-0 to Dover.

He said: "It was a strange day for me, a double disappointment. I’d done more than enough to play in that final. To have that taken away from me, I wasn’t best pleased.

"Not being able to contest the final did leave me disappointed. It all happened quickly but when I look back, the manager’s mind was already made up.

"Leaving me out of the second leg opened the door for him to leave me out in the final.

"He’d made up his mind at that stage."

Full story in the Gravesend Messenger.