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Ebbsfleet United will listen to offers for their seven contracted players

00:00, 08 May 2019

Ebbsfleet’s seven contracted players have until the end of May to accept Garry Hill’s offer to help them find new clubs.

Ebou Adams, Nathan Ashmore, Michael Cheek, Jack King, Sean Shields, Corey Whitely and Lawrie Wilson all have another year on their deals but Fleet will listen to offers for all of them.

Hill hopes they can agree moves in the next three weeks after which his priority will be signing new players.

Ebbsfleet goalkeeper Nathan Ashmore remains under contract Picture: Andy Jones
Ebbsfleet goalkeeper Nathan Ashmore remains under contract Picture: Andy Jones

He said: “Players have been made aware that I will work with them up to a certain time, going forward, to the end of May.

“If they wish to get their agents or they call me or any club wants to talk to me, I will talk to them and I will go from there, going forward in the best interests of the football club and the players.

“I can’t be any clearer or fairer than that but there comes a time when, after the end of May, I will want to start work trying to build a squad for the start of the new season.

“We go back on June 29 and I need to give myself time, as well as management staff, as well as the football club, to rebuild with a lot of hard work over the summer.”

Ebou Adams has a year left on his Ebbsfleet contract Picture: Andy Jones
Ebou Adams has a year left on his Ebbsfleet contract Picture: Andy Jones

Hill hasn’t committed himself to Ebbsfleet long-term but will do what he can to help balance the books.

He said: “You have to try to be fair and clear to everybody, everywhere. It’s been stated there’s been financial problems, it’s not been healthy.

“There’s no secret about that, and it’s an opportunity in the close season to give a clean break across the board in respect of those players whose contracts run out on June 30.

“It gives them plenty of time to look for another club and it also allows them to face a fresh challenge going forward because circumstances have been difficult.

Michael Cheek joined Ebbsfleet last summer Picture: Andy Jones
Michael Cheek joined Ebbsfleet last summer Picture: Andy Jones

“I’ve said to the contracted players who are there to June 2020 that if there’s a situation and a position for them to have an opportunity to go somewhere else, I will work within my power to help them go forward to a new challenge. You’ve got to do that.

“If I’m going in there, which I have done originally to sort out a lot more work behind the scenes than what I realised, not a problem, I get on with that.

“I’ve managed the football club with the help of staff on and off the pitch.

“The players have been superb to get to the league position they got to but there comes a time when everybody has to say ‘we need a change, we need a fresh start’, whether you’re a player, management or you want to be a supporter of the football club which has got to be stable, paying with a structure, financially, within your means, self-sufficient, the best it can be.”

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