Ebbsfleet United roped in a club legend to help promote their anniversary kit.

Jimmy Jackson modelled the newly designed kits that celebrate 75 years of the club, including a nod to their former Gravesend & Northfleet name.

Seventy-five years ago the club was formed by the merger of Northfleet (who played in red) and Gravesend United (green and red). Both are represented in their new strips.

Gravesend & Northfleet’s traditional colours of red and white were picked for the team that was formed in 1946 and that’s been the same ever since. The shirts have both the current Ebbsfleet United badge and that of Gravesend & Northfleet.

The home shirt for the 2021/22 season will also include a splash of green on the sleeve. Fleet will be playing in a green away kit next season, the first time the club have adopted a green ‘away’ shirt.

Fleet said: “We wanted to retain something of Gravesend United’s original stripes as well – for the home shirt it was impractical to go with a striped kit but New Balance have incorporated a darker shade of red as a vertical-line pattern on the body of the home shirt in homage to Gravesend’s stripes.

“An alternative pattern of overlaying stripes in dark green is also visible on the away kit, again as a tribute to ‘the Shrimpers’ of Gravesend United.

“And who better to help launch and model this souvenir 75th anniversary kit than the man who has worn more Fleet designs than any other player in history, our record appearance holder Jimmy Jackson who turned out in our shirts in two spells from 1994 to 2007, totalling an incredible 520 games.”

Shirts can be pre-ordered from the club now.

Fleet, meanwhile, named Jack Paxman as the supporters’ player-of-the-year.

Paxman was a summer signing from Billericay and the 27-year-old former Maidstone player made 22 appearances during the 2020/21 campaign, playing more minutes than any other.

Manager Dennis Kutrieb presented Paxman with the award infront of supporters at their Beer Garden event on Saturday.

The club divided their pitch up into plots for supporters to enjoy a drink together.

Kutrieb said: “Jack Paxman is an example for astonishing performances. He was one of only a few players who came in for a trial and I was convinced after the first session.

“He has some special abilities and I never saw him before or did any video research on him. He’s a good boy on the pitch but to be fair, he’s a very lovely character off the pitch as well and that’s not easy to find!

“The best thing is, there is still lot of space to improve and I’m sure we’ll see a better Jack Paxman next season. A luxury situation for me as a manager and for us as a club!”