Joe Turner is determined to enjoy himself at Ramsgate after cutting short a break from football to join their Isthmian South East title challenge.

Turner was set to sit out the rest of the season after leaving AFC Totton a few weeks ago, where long journeys on his own were taking their toll mentally on the 30-year-old.

He signed for the Hampshire-based Southern League club after ending his six-year stay at Tonbridge last October.

The winger has nothing but good things to say about Totton but a 170-mile round trip to training on a Thursday night plus long away games were starting to affect him.

And while Ramsgate is only slightly closer to his Godstone home, on the Kent border, a car school reduces his driving and makes the journey significantly easier to be travelling with friends.

Turner’s move to Southwood sees him reunited with ex-Tonbridge team-mates Jack Parter, Craig Stone and Mike West while, as a teacher, he shares the same profession as manager Ben Smith.

Rams moved for Turner after he left Tonbridge and, in hindsight, he wishes he’d gone there in the first place.

“Totton’s a fantastic club and probably the most professional set-up I’ve been in at non-league level,” said Turner.

“But the travelling just became too much for me.

“It was taking its toll on my body and my home life.

“I had an honest conversation with Jimmy (Ball) the manager and he totally understood.

“I wasn’t at home as much as I’d have liked.

“I’ve got a young daughter and you want to see your family, as well as playing football.

“I had two-and-a-half weeks to myself after leaving Totton and I didn’t expect anything to occur.

“I was in the mindset that was me done for this season and see if anything materialises in the summer.

“But I had five or six clubs approach me and it was a case of relating to Ben in what he was saying and there are boys at Ramsgate that I’ve played with before.

“That was a really big pull to reinvigorate me to say, yes, I want to have another go and play where I enjoy it until the end of the season, and that’s how that second conversation with Ben came around.

He said, ‘Mate, I’m desperate to sign you’ and he’s got a really good group down there.

“I was honest with him and said the reason I probably didn’t sign in the first place was the optics of what it looks like dropping down two levels from National League South after leaving Tonbridge.

“But I kind of just said forget that, I just want to enjoy it for the last few months of the season. It seems a really good fit.

“I’ve always said that where you’re happy is where you’ll play your best football football and express yourself.

“I was happy at Totton but mentally it was killing me travelling that far on my own and some of the away games were even further. My first away game was Merthyr, in Wales.

“Looking back, I probably should have gone to Ramsgate, or somewhere a little bit closer, in the first place.

“But it’s well and good in hindsight.

“You’ve got to make decisions and find out what’s right for you.”

Turner played 90 minutes as Ramsgate beat Broadbridge Heath 1-0 at home on Saturday thanks to Alfie Paxman’s late strike.

It kept them top of the table although title rivals Cray Valley have the chance to move above them at Burgess Hill tonight.

The Millers are managed by Steve McKimm, Turner’s old boss at Tonbridge.

McKimm took him to the Angels and they had great success together, winning promotion to National League South via a super play-off victory at Met Police in 2019.

He’s now up against his old gaffer for the Isthmian South East championship.

“I haven’t spoken to him yet,” said Turner.

“Macca and Barry (Moore, McKimm’s No.2) are well aware it was probably the happiest I’ve even been in my non-league career under them.

“They brought me in at Tonbridge and we have some incredible success. They’re two of the nicest men in football and their families are both wonderful as well.

“You play against your friends all the time - it’s part and parcel of football.

“You’ve got a job to do and hopefully I’m on the right end of things for Ramsgate.”

Rams visit East Grinstead on Saturday (3pm).