Ebbsfleet are heading into the 2015/16 season as a more united club than the one which finished the last campaign.

That’s according to vice-chairman Peter Varney, who has praised the hands-on approach taken by manager Daryl McMahon since his appointment in April.

Stonebridge Road was not a happy place to be in the final months of last season, which ended in Jamie Day being sacked and McMahon tasked with repairing the damage.

Mr Varney said: "It wouldn’t be a surprise to supporters if I said that I didn’t think, towards the end of last year, that it was a united club on and off the field.

"It certainly is now and Daryl’s played a huge part in that. He’s hands-on with the staff at the club as well as the playing side."

Fleet were eighth in Conference South last season – their lowest league finish for 15 years – but Mr Varney has no doubts they can bounce back and win promotion under McMahon.

He said: "You’ve got to be optimistic, haven't you?

"We think we’ve put right the areas where we fell short before and we think with the signings we’ve made...

"There might be a little bit more tweaking but until you start playing the games and seeing how the players you’ve brought in work out (you can’t say for sure)."

Read the full story in the Gravesend Messenger.