Ian Hendon is loving his time back in football with Ebbsfleet.

The former Leyton Orient player and manager joined the Fleet as Garry Hill’s assistant in November.

The 47-year-old had been out of the game since being sacked as Orient boss in 2016.

“I love it – it’s been great,” said Hendon. “I was doing some scouting and bits and pieces but it’s just nice to be back out on the (training ground).

“I need a bit of structure in my life – I had too many holidays in that time!

“I love my football. I’ve worked with some of these players at other clubs before in the league.

“It’s a good level of football, we’ve got a good group of players here and it’s a pleasure to coach them.”

Hill and Hendon appear an unlikely pairing from the outside but they’d been watching matches together and were both keen to get back in the game.

“I was at Orient and I got the sack there as a manager, unjustifiably I would say as we were seventh when he (former owner Francesco Becchetti) sacked me,” said Hendon.

“But that’s football, and one thing’s for sure in football, you’re going to get the sack. It took me a bit longer than I imagined to come back in and get a job.

“I’m grateful to Garry, I always saw him out at games when both of us were not working.

“I’ve sat with him at games and I always said to him if something comes up to bear me in mind and if it’s right then maybe we could work together.

“It was 10 days after we watched Dagenham against Wrexham that he phoned me up and offered me the job – I jumped at the chance.”

Andy Drury serves the final game of his three-match suspension for Saturday’s trip to relegation-threatened Maidstone.

Fleet travel to FC Halifax in a re-arranged fixture on Tuesday night.

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