Warren Mfula has sensationally claimed he regrets ever having played for Sheppey after The Ites sold him to Faversham.

The 33-year-old has departed Holm Park to join big-spending Southern Counties East Premier Division Faversham for an undisclosed club-record fee spent by the Lilywhites.

Prolific striker Mfula joined Sheppey in December 2021 and made a massive impact with his goals, helping them to a unique quadruple in the 2021/22 season on their way to the league title.

He ended the last campaign with 28 goals as The Ites narrowly missed out on an Isthmian South East play-off berth.

Mfula, who also counts Dartford among his former clubs, said: “It’s part of life, right? You’ve done so much for the club and you won them the league and stuff like that.

“But then, there’s a lack of moral values, there’s a lack of recognition of your hard work what you have done for them, it’s the lies and it’s the betrayal.

“As a human being, you have to have decent values.

“Before leaving, I made it clear: I would never play for them anymore and I regret having played for them.

“I really strongly regret having played for Sheppey in my heart. I fully, fully regret, with my heart, having played for them.

“I didn’t want to say too much about it and left the door open - blah, blah, blah - but if I can list some of all the clubs I’ve played for in the past, people might say ‘You played for Sheppey’ but, in my heart, I don’t even consider them.”

The Ites, who have re-signed Dan Bradshaw to help fill the void left by Mfula, said in a statement everyone at the club had been “doing all we could to keep him under his current contract”.

But on how the switch came about, Mfula said: “If you are going to put it out there, put it out there. A lot of things happened with Sheppey.

“You’re part of the media. What you read isn’t always true, is it right? I wanted to leave Sheppey.

“I felt betrayed by what Sheppey’s done to me and then Faversham came to save me.”

Mfula helped The Ites win four trophies in the 2021/22 season and, as he prepares for life with his new club under Faversham boss Sammy Moore, he thinks another quadruple may be possible.

“I’m looking for something like that,” said Mfula.

“Obviously, I had a chat with the manager and also had a chat with the chairman [Gary Smart].

“I expressed we have to have a friendly environment. We have to be honest, transparent, with everything. Many other places, like Sheppey, lack that.

“The manager said ‘Yeah, we’ll be very transparent. If something’s not working, we come together, address it as a group and we share those differences’ – they assured me that’s going to be the case.

“I’m looking forward to that. That’s one of the many reasons I wanted to go there, as well, for the transparency and having strong decent human values, respecting each other and being honest with each other.

“That’s the key forward.

“It’s always a hard thing to do but Faversham have assured me that will be the case, and that’s why I signed for them.”

Sheppey chairman Matthew Smith was approached for comment and responded: “In light of not one shred of evidence surrounding this defamatory statement, the football club will reserve any further comment at this time.

“However, as a club, we shall review internally last season as a whole and the transfer of our contracted player to Faversham Town FC.

“The review will include all communications between clubs and player conduct during the 2022/23 season.

“No further comment will be made by anyone associated with Sheppey United Football Club.”

More from Warren Mfula on becoming Faversham’s club-record signing later this week