Former team-mates have paid tribute to Paul McCarthy ahead of the former Ebbsfleet captain’s memorial match against Tottenham at Stonebridge Road this weekend.

McCarthy, who died suddenly in February aged just 45, served the club for nine years as player and assistant manager.

He lifted the FA Trophy at Wembley in 2008 and was Liam Daish’s right-hand man as Fleet won promotion in 2010-11.

The man with a crushing handshake and a twinkle in his eye made an impression on everyone he met.

"Paul was a room-mate of mine, a great gentleman and hard-working," said defender Peter Hawkins.

"He would give 110% to the cause and he was there to talk for not just the experienced lads but all the younger ones in the squad as well. It was a great honour to play with someone like that.

"He was a solid centre-half. You can see why a lot of people respected him the way they did.

"He was a good roomie. He liked his cigar, liked to relax with a Guinness and he was a joker as well. He liked the banter. We bounced off each other and they were good times.

"He was very trustworthy, very honest and a very nice chap."

McCarthy let injured team-mate Danny Slatter lift the trophy with him at Wembley.

Neil Barrett, who played in midfield that day, said: "That tells you what kind of a man he was. He genuinely was one of the nicest guys in football.

"He was that link between the management and the players. I trusted Macca. If you said something to him, he’d never stitch you up, he’d always try to find the best solution and was just a fantastic guy.

"He was so underrated as a player. It’s hard to explain what he did as a centre-half but he was so influential in that side.

"When we didn’t have him, more times than not, we lost."

Gary MacDonald spent much of that season injured, although he did come off the bench at Wembley.

He said: "Because I was in so early (for treatment), he was first there every day so it was always ‘morning Macca, what did you do at the weekend?’

"He was always down at his caravan with his wife and kids. He adored his girls, he was such a big family man. His girls were there as mascots on the day (of the FA Trophy final). It’s sad – he was a proper good bloke.

"It was only a season I spent with him but even now, it’s upsetting to think about him."

Mark Ricketts, who played with McCarthy at Fleet, later captained Woking for several years.

He said: "I learnt so much from him. I always look back and think ‘how did he do this?’ or ‘what would he have done here?’

"I use him as a role model. He wouldn’t necessarily shout and holler in the changing room but on the pitch, he’d be geeing you up all the time, talking to you and he just led by example.

"Everyone had respect for him straight away. He was immense and a lovely person off the pitch as well.

"I wish I’d spoken to him more after I left Ebbsfleet."

McCarthy became Daish’s assistant in 2009-10 and hung up his boots at the end of that season.

The club’s new captain, Paul Lorraine, said: "He was the perfect No.2. He helped me as a centre-back but more as a person.

"I was captain of the team and especially through the tougher times, he was there to support me and he was always so positive. Words can’t describe how good a man he actually was.

"He was such a calming influence on the dressing room and where he’d been there and done it in his career, we hung on every word he said."

A new generation was now emerging at Ebbsfleet, including Tom Phipp.

He said: "You were able to talk to him but you were scared of him at the same time because he was such a figure in the dressing room.

"It was the way he carried himself. He was such a nice guy but you’d be silly not to give him respect. He’d done so much in the game and given the fact I was such a youngster, it was almost like he was a father figure in the dressing room.

"Macca’s man-management was second to none. Where he’d just come out of the game, he had an idea of the briefs that needed to be made between the management and the players.

"Daishy was authoritative and Macca knew there needed to be a bridge between the players and the management.

"Having been involved in the youth set-up as well, he knew how to nurture the younger guys. He knew we were all non-league players and he understood that everyone had a life outside football.

"He knew it wasn’t the be-all and end-all in terms of personal relationships."

Phipp’s former team-mate Michael West added: "Paul McCarthy was a manager’s dream captain.

"He motivated the team, would never let anyone slack off, even 5%, and played such an influential part in my speedy introduction to men’s football.

"He was always there helping me with anything I needed on and off the pitch.

"As an assistant manager, his determination to win and work hard never faded.

"I remember many occasions when he put on a shirt and played a random 90 minutes due to the size of our squad.

"He was always getting involved in training, especially with the back-four, which made a lot of difference to our success.

"He was the most ‘born to win’ guy I have ever met in football and that I will never forget."

A quiet word here and there from McCarthy went a long way.

Goalkeeper Preston Edwards recalled: "I dislocated my shoulder before the Conference Premier season (2011-12) and they brought Joe Welch in.

"I played the final pre-season game and I was frustrated to not play the first half because normally that’s the starting line-up for the first league game of the season.

"I was frustrated and he was the one who came up to me and said ‘don’t get frustrated, we all respect you here and you’ll get yourself back in the team’ and that was important to me.

"He was a warm, affectionate person. He’d be the first one to shake your hand as soon as you came into the changing room and when he spoke, you listened."

Joe Howe spent six seasons at Ebbsfleet, three while McCarthy was on the staff.

He said: "I don't know anyone that's said a bad word about Macca.

"He was a leader in the changing room, very knowledgeable when giving advice and when he offered it, you listened and took it on board.

"He was a kind man off the pitch, softly spoken but had a real presence about him."

Ebbsfleet are playing a Tottenham Hotspur XI at Stonebridge Road on Saturday in the Paul McCarthy Memorial Match. Kick-off is at 3pm and all gate receipts, after expenses, will be donated to the McCarthy family.