Having Craig Stone put pen to paper is great news, says Ebbsfleet United boss Liam Daish

EBBSFLEET UNITED are delighted to announce that Craig Stone has signed a new contract with the club today.


The 23-year-old, Gravesend born midfielder turned defender began his career aged 10 at Gillingham and made his Football League debut six years later.  In all he made 15 League appearances for the Gills and another six while on loan at Brentford in 2008.

He was a regular for The Fleet in the Conference, throughout the 2008-09 campaign, making 32 appearances before sustaining a broken leg in February 2009 against Wrexham, which ruled him out for the best part of a year and then having suffered the heartbreak of a second leg fracture.

Stone rebuilt his career with a spell at Maidstone United in the Ryman Premier League under Peter Nott, but he re-joined Gillingham in the summer of 2010 and then moved back to Stonebridge Road for his second spell with the club in August 2010 and has played a major role in the squad ever since.

Manager Liam Daish, who issued a rallying cry for larger support after admitting the club struggles to pay their £5,000 budget, which will be cut next season, told www.ebbsfleetunited.co.uk: “Having Craig put pen to paper is great news.  He has been through a lot after he suffered the leg break at Wrexham but has proved that you can come back from serious injury if are prepared to put in the hard work.

“Having three (Stone, Paul Lorraine and Joe Howe) of my back line re-sign is a good place to start in building the team for the coming season.”

Club director Jessica McQueen added: “I am delighted to see Craig sign once again for the club. He is a great favourite and won the Gravesend Reporter player-of-the-season recently.”

Visit Ebbsfleet United’s website: www.ebbsfleetunited.co.uk