Departing Matt Newman is more than just a player according to Folkestone joint-boss Roland Edge - who revealed the stalwart’s last Invicta appearance came despite him having an injury.

Versatile defender Newman will leave this summer after 362 appearances over two spells with the club.

The 35-year-old’s final Invicta appearance came this month in a 3-1 home loss to Kingstonian.

Now, he has agreed to sign for Faversham - whose chairman is Gary Smart, Newman’s boss at the Smart Office Group with his day job - and he’ll be part of their push for promotion back to Isthmian South East.

Edge said: “Matt is more than just a player. He’s a great bloke.

“He will help you if he can, he’s a great sort of person.

"He has gone to Faversham.

“To be honest, we didn’t really want him to go. But his boss is chairman at Faversham.

“The thing about Matt is he didn’t hide it. He always admitted it was a possibility.

“He has got a Grade 2 tear in his groin but, when we needed him, he played against Kingstonian in midfield.

"Most people would have said ‘Sorry, no’ but he taped himself up.

“Myself and Mev [fellow joint-head coach Micheal Everitt] wish him every success.”

Invicta lost their final Isthmian Premier home fixture of the season 3-1 to third-placed Canvey Island last weekend.

They were 2-0 down inside 17 minutes before frontman Ira Jackson failed to convert a penalty, although right-back Josh Vincent halved the deficit.

But the visitors added a third after the restart.

Edge reflected: “The ‘flat’ part was the first 15 minutes or so.

“Myself and Mev explained that Canvey do what they do really well. Everyone knows what they’re doing - but they still win!

“They did that on Saturday and caught us cold. They did what they needed to win.

“We got the penalty and missed it. I have no problems with that.

"You score some, miss some. That’s life.

“If it had got to 2-2, I don’t know how they would have felt. We were in the game at that point.

"But I think Canvey were better than us on the day.”

The game was also the last behind the bar for Pauline Cugley, the wife of former boss and now head of football operations Neil Cugley.

Edge said: “She not only does a great job, she’s a really lovely person.

"I have no doubt she will still be there, but not as much as she has had to be!

“Cugs and Pauline have been the foundations of the club.

"After what they have done for so many years, it would not be right if they did just walk away.”

Edge also praised Chatham Town and his friend Kevin Hake for winning the Isthmian South East title, as they prepare to come up against them next season.

He said: “It’s great for me because I come from Chatham!

“Kevin Hake has been a friend of mine for a long time. It’s always nice to see friends do well.

“Those games against them should attract good gates so I’m looking forward to it.”

Invicta end their campaign at fellow mid-table outfit Bognor this Saturday.

Folkestone have combined their annual presentation evening with a “meet-the-managers” session next Sunday.

Email chairman Jim Pellatt at jimpellatt@folkestoneinvictafc.co.uk if you’re interested in attending.