Peter Varney is still on the scene at Ebbsfleet United.

He stepped down as vice-chairman in January but remains involved and is a regular at home matches.

Varney has been a sounding board for manager Daryl McMahon and vice-chairman Dean Pooley and those relationships continue.

He also remains a key business ally of Fleet owner Dr Abdulla al-Humaidi within the Kuwaiti European Holding Company.

"Peter Varney’s never been out of my corner," said Pooley. "I can’t get rid of him.

"He’s been a great mentor from day one and like Abdulla said a little while back, he’s ever-present for all of us.

"He’s working closely with Abdulla, advising for KEH, which still has an affiliation to the football club.

"He’s always at the end of the phone or lingering around somewhere.

"We still do a lot in terms of bits for Abdulla away from the football club that we work on together so I’d be silly not to chuck a few questions at him to get some answers as and when I need stuff.

"Peter’s close, in an advisory role, to Abdulla in terms of KEH as a whole because of the wealth of experience he’s got.

"Abdulla said he’s a father figure and it’s not too far wrong."