This was a truly unforgettable decade for the Fleet who achieved so much across the 10 years under just two managers in all that time – Andy Ford and Liam Daish. There was promotion, Wembley success, a name change, worldwide fame – plus the usual historical staples of relegation and money troubles – but it was perhaps the most memorable decade for Fleet supporters to date.

It began in 2000 with the first of three successive Kent Senior Cup victories, the first over Folkestone Invicta and the following two triumphs saw off Conference sides Dover Athletic and Margate. That same year also saw a return to FA Cup First Round action and a narrow defeat to Notts County at Priestfield Stadium. And in 2001, the Fleet added more silverware in the form of the barely remembered Full Members Cup.

Those achievements were small stuff compared to Ford’s ever-improving return in the Isthmian (Ryman) League. After a sixth-placed finish in 2001, the Fleet went head-to-head with league favourites Canvey Island in a titanic struggle for the title and promotion to the Conference. It was a battle that went to and fro before the Fleet won the league on the final day at Bedford Town, amassing 99 points to Canvey’s 95. The league fixture between the pair at Stonebridge Road attracted an ‘official’ attendance of 4,098 but estimates put the crowd around at least the 6,000 mark.

Back in the Conference for the first time in 20 years, the Fleet struggled and needed a final-day win to stay up and over the course of the next few years had to battle it out in the bottom half of the table. In the FA Cup, there was a Second Round appearance as Fleet were knocked out by a last-minute goal in front of the Sky TV cameras by Notts County. And after an 18-match unbeaten run in 2004, form dropped leading to Andy Ford resigning in January 2005, more than seven years on from his appointment.

He was replaced by former Irish international defender Liam Daish who set about transforming the side into a full-time operation – which meant the release of favourites including record appearance holder Jimmy Jackson after a decade at Stonebridge Road. It took a while for the Fleet to settle but in 2006, Daish’s side just missed out on the play-offs and twice reached the FA Trophy quarter-finals.

The year 2007 saw fundamental changes at the club as a sponsorship deal with Eurostar and the ever-expanding Ebbsfleet development around the locality led to a decision to change name from Gravesend & Northfleet to Ebbsfleet United. Later that year, citing financial pressures of operating as a full-time club, the Fleet was sold to an internet venture called MyFootballClub. With 32,000 members worldwide, it was certainly innovative (though its intentions divided fans) – with a brief to pick the team and decide on other club matters through a voting system of its members.

And the drama didn’t end there as the Fleet embarked on an FA Trophy run, overcoming Conference champions Aldershot in an epic two-legged semi-final to reach a Wembley final for the first time in the club’s history. The crowning glory was a 1-0 win over Torquay United that saw skipper Paul McCarthy lift the trophy in front of 40,000 fans – the biggest crowd the Fleet have ever played in front of.

Unfortunately by 2009, it was clear that the MyFC experiment was failing. Membership numbers dropped off, the original operator sold up and having never actually implemented the ‘Pick the Team’ policy, there was increasing recrimination between members and fans. It all led to a dramatic slashing of the playing budget with many of Daish’s bigger stars departing and the 2009/10 campaign kicking-off with a lot of untried young players in the side. Despite an exceptional battle against the drop in the second half of that season, Fleet lost a crucial three points due to the liquidation of Chester and were relegated on the final day.