Jamie Day has left Welling United to become the new manager of Ebbsfleet United.

Day succeeds Steve Brown, who was sacked by the Fleet on November 26.

"I’m friends with Browny so I wasn’t too sure what was going on," Day said.

"I saw he went and then a week after, or maybe shorter, Peter (Varney) said he’d like to have a chat if Welling gave permission. That started the ball rolling and it went from there.

"I had a really good time at Welling, I really enjoyed it, but it just came to a point where I couldn’t take it any further unless there was more investment.

"This was a great opportunity and I couldn’t let it go. It was the right time for me to move on."

Ebbsfleet vice-chairman Peter Varney said: "The owner and the board opted not to advertise the role as having considered the potential candidates, they were unanimous that Jamie Day was the only candidate they wished to initially discuss the vacancy with.

"The discussions with Welling United have been amicable and we have reached a compensation package acceptable to both clubs and I would like to thank the board of Welling United for the professional manner in which they have conducted the negotiations."

Day, 35, takes over at the PHB Stadium with Ebbsfleet fourth in Vanarama Conference South, seven points behind leaders Boreham Wood with just over half the season to run.

He said: "The club’s in a good position. They’d probably like to be a little bit higher but Browny left them in good shape. They’ve got a good squad of players and they’re fourth in the league at the minute.

"It’s down to me to take the club and these players one step further.

"It’s a different type of pressure than Welling. All managers are under some type of pressure and the pressure here is to get up. That’s my aim and I believe that my staff and I will do that.

"It’s a good test for me and I hope I get it right. There is pressure but I can handle it."

Day brings with him assistant manager Barry Ashby and first-team coach Dean Frost.

Fleet play Welling in the FA Trophy on Saturday but Day and his backroom staff won't be involved in the game against the club they left this week. Daryl McMahon will act as caretaker manager for the third and final time, having overseen two wins since Brown's departure.

Day's final match in charge of the Wings was a 2-1 win at AFC Telford on Tuesday night - a result which lifted them to 17th in the Vanarama Conference.

He was Welling's player-manager for just over five years, leading them to the Conference South title in 2012-13 and then Conference survival last season.

Day was playing for Dartford when the Wings gave him his first management job in November 2009. While he was in charge at Park View Road, Welling's league position improved every season.

He had been the sixth-longest-serving manager in the top five divisions of English football, behind Arsene Wenger (Arsenal), Tony Burman (Dartford), Paul Tisdale (Exeter), Nicky Law (Alfreton) and Neil Aspin (FC Halifax).

In two playing spells at Welling, Day made 288 appearances and scored 29 goals.

He'll be registered as a player with Ebbsfleet but expects to spend most of his time in the dugout.

Day said: "I planned to retire at the end of the season anyway, so there’s no change there.

"I want to give all the boys an opportunity to play. My time on the pitch at Welling was to help out as a stop-gap if needed. We’ve got enough midfielders at Ebbsfleet."

Day's first game in charge of the Fleet will be the visit of Weston-super-Mare to the PHB Stadium on Saturday, December 20.

Read the full Jamie Day interview in the Gravesend Messenger on Thursday.