Former Ebbsfleet midfielder Tom Phipp turned down offers from National League clubs before deciding to join Tonbridge this week.

Phipp, 22, was one of seven players released by newly-promoted Margate last month having spent a season-and-a-half with the Thanet side.

A revelation in his early Fleet days under Liam Daish, Phipp was kept on at Stonebridge Road when Steve Brown took over as manager but was later loaned out to Maidstone.

Gate paid Ebbsfleet a four-figure fee to sign him in February 2014 and Phipp helped them go up via the Ryman League Premier Division play-offs.

Tonbridge manager Steve McKimm said: "When I saw he’d been released by Margate, I spoke to a few people to see if he’d be interested. I got a call from someone saying he would be and we had a good chat.

"Tom had offers from higher clubs but he likes how we’re going to do things and the signings we’ve made.

"He’s a good player, he’s strong, he scores goals from midfield and adds quality to what we’ve already got.

"Players like him and Nathan Elder could demand more money elsewhere but they’ve come to us because of what we’re trying to build."

Read the full story in the Kent Messenger.