Matt Johnson returns to Stonebridge Road as a Margate player on Saturday after leaving Ebbsfleet United for the good of his career.

Johnson made 37 appearances for the Fleet last season but his only involvement this term had been in the Kent Senior Cup.

Loan spells at Bishop’s Stortford and Margate got the midfielder playing again before the two Kent clubs reached an agreement for his permanent transfer last Thursday.

Johnson said: "It’s a positive thing for me. I wasn’t playing (at Ebbsfleet) and wasn’t involved at all so it’s always nice to get away and play football. Margate have taken me in and given me minutes so I’m really pleased to be playing again.

"After the way the first month or six weeks of the season went at Ebbsfleet, I knew I wasn’t involved. They were constantly winning, so the manager wasn’t looking to change the team or even the squad. I knew I might struggle to get in.

"It’s always difficult, not playing. Even being on the bench, no-one’s really happy with that, so not being in the squad is not nice. It gets you down and then you lack confidence when you’re training. No-one likes not playing so it definitely had an effect."

Margate felt like a good fit for Johnson straight away.

He said: "Everyone was really welcoming and I settled in really quickly. The new manager (Nikki Bull) made sure everyone was working hard and was really positive towards it and it’s rubbed off on everyone.

"When Margate expressed their desire to keep me permanently, I had a chat with Macca (Daryl McMahon) to see where my future lay. He said that with the way things were going, I wasn’t going to get game time so it was an easy decision for me to ask if it would be possible for me to leave and play my football permanently elsewhere."

McMahon said: "He’s a great lad and he’s been terrific around here. He was unfortunate that he hasn’t played this year for me.

"Midfield is a strong part of our side – we’ve got a little bit of everything in there – and he wasn’t getting the game time he wanted at his age.

"The opportunity to go to Margate on an 18-month deal was a no-brainer for him.

"Selfishly, I thought I could keep him because he gave us something different with the height and power he’s got. But, to be fair to him and what a good lad he is, I didn’t want to stand in his way."

Johnson will sit out Saturday’s game as part of a gentlemen’s agreement.

He said: "It will be nice to go back and see everyone – but as a Margate player. I want Margate to have a positive result. It will be a strange weekend.

"Conversations I’ve had with Macca have always been positive. I’ve got nothing to prove but it is a shame (to leave) because I would love to have played under him."