Keeping Ebbsfleet in the National League was the best day of manager Danny Searle’s career in football.

Against the odds, Searle has brilliantly guided the Fleet to safety after they were heading towards relegation when he took charge in early February.

They were comfortable for large periods of a goalless draw at Boreham Wood on Saturday, a result which saw the Fleet stay up and their hosts relegated.

“This is definitely the best day so far for me in my career,” said Searle.

“I’ve been fortunate to be involved in some really big games and play-off finals. But, for me, you have to put it into context of where we were when I came in and where we are now.

“Everyone had written us off and it was just a matter of time, as opposed to if we could stay up. For me, it’s phenomenal and to celebrate with the fans in the way we did and the noise they make means it is definitely right up there.”

Ebbsfleet celebrated like they had won the league at the final whistle – and rightly so after a gruelling final few weeks of the campaign.

Searle admitted he was caught up in the emotion of it all, and he wasn’t going to apologise for savouring the moment.

“We’ve won our own little mini-league because that what it became at the end of the season – our own little mini-league to survive and that’s what we’ve done,” he added.

“We’ve come out on top. From my perspective, I don’t know how you can sum up those emotions. You become like a little kid, all the reasons you love football and support your team and fall in love with the game, they all come to fruition when you do something like that.

“You almost become a fan. I was like a fan with all the players at the end – it was great and I’m immensely proud of everyone.”

While the Fleet could have secured their safety before the final day, Searle conceded that it made the achievement extra special.

He added: “There’s been some performances and results that we’d like to have taken care of our own business (a bit better).

“But weirdly, with the celebrations that we had on Saturday after staying up – would we have had those celebrations had we done it earlier? It’s that old adage that if you’re going to go up then you want to do it through the play-offs and win a final.

“My heart would have liked to have taken care of it a few weeks ago but what a day for everyone involved at the club.

“I’ve said it 100 times before and I’ll say it 100 times again, I’m just immensely proud of everyone involved.

“It could have been easy with the situation the club was in when I arrived for us to capitulate and accept our fate but, to a man and woman, everyone in the group believed.”

As for the final match against Boreham Wood, Searle was pleased with how his team played under the pressure of the occasion.

Despite their excellent playing surface, Wood’s biggest threat was from long throws.

The Fleet boss added: “There were a couple of moments, especially when they had a run of throw-in after throw-in and corner after corner, that you think we’re going to run out of luck in a minute as you’re playing the odds really when you have that many set-pieces. So, to come out of here with a clean sheet is phenomenal.”