Ebbsfleet United have signed four of last season’s squad to new contracts as Steve Brown’s first round of player talks paid off. Anthony Cook, Michael Corcoran, Joe Howe and Shane Huke have committed once again to the red shirt, with negotiations ongoing among other players.

Cook, 24, was an ever-present member of the 2013-14 side, scoring 12 goals in the league and FA competitions from 53 starts – not to mention countless assists and he commented that he “can’t wait for August 9th. We have ambition and unfinished business.”

Corcoran and Huke will spend a second season at Stonebridge Road, having started just under half of last season’s games. Huke’s season was disrupted by a foot injury but he was back to full fitness by the end of last season, featuring in the Skrill South promotion final.

And 26-year-old defender Howe, who has more than 150 appearances to his name for the Fleet, will spend a fifth season at the club he helped win promotion in 2010-11. He ended last season with a memorable goal in the play-off semi-final against Bromley, featuring 38 times in all during the most recent campaign.