Former Charlton Athletic and Gillingham defender Matt Fry was in two minds about whether to return to football after retiring from the full time game in 2017.

Fry signed for Bostik South East side Herne Bay this summer and has made three league appearances so far this season.

The 27-year-old left football on medical advice after a string of knee operations.

He was last at York City and also had spells at non-league clubs Braintree Town, Concord Rangers, Eastleigh and Dartford.

Fry said: “I was in a position where I left York and did not really know what I wanted to do.

“The medical advice was to retire from full time football and I started to look at different avenues away from the game.

“I was in two minds about whether to play again. The managers of Herne Bay got in touch and said they had a young side and thought I would be a good fit for the team.

“Making the decision to come back to playing was harder than I thought.

“I was mentally quite drained. I had some amazing experiences in football but have also experienced the harder ones.

“I fell out of love with the game a few times. It is tough to hear that if I recovered from that last injury I would have one more season at the age of 26.”

The former West Ham youth player has found a different career following life after professional football.

He now works in investment management and is able to fit playing for Herne Bay around his job.

Fry said: “While I was at York I got to a stage where I knew that my career would not last forever.

“I started doing some exams and am lucky enough now to have a job that not everyone gets the chance to do.

“The football career does really fly by and it seems strange that I’m coming to the end of mine.

“I’m taking each game as it comes. The last few weeks that I have been playing on the Saturday it has taken me until the Friday to feel right again.

“If I can get another two or three seasons out of my career playing at a level where I can look after myself I will be happy.”

It has been a tough start to the season in the Bostik South East for Bay and they have picked up just two points from their opening four games.

Fry added: “We have had a bit of an indifferent start to the season. We are creating chances but we are not taking them.

“We are not that far away from getting that first win.

“There are some really technically gifted players here and if I can help them in any way I will.

“The place is lovely and it is not too far from where I live as well and importantly I’m enjoying my time there.”