Ebbsfleet United have added a wealth of experience in defence as former Gillingham captain Max Ehmer joins Josh Wright’s squad for 2025/26.

The German-born centre-back arrives at the Kuflink Stadium having played almost 600 senior games, with nine of the last 10 seasons at Priestfield, making him the record appearance holder this century for the Gills (pictured below).

The Fleet’s latest signing came through QPR’s youth system, making his Championship debut in 2013. Before that, he had gained plenty of loan experience elsewhere in the EFL with Yeovil Town in 2010/11 and later Preston North End, Stevenage and Carlisle United.

His first spell with Gillingham was also on loan, in 2014/15, a move later made permanent. He was made team captain in 2017, sharing duties with Josh Wright who at the time was Gills’ club captain, and Ehmer has been a permanent fixture and defensive stalwart in the Gillingham side for a decade.

He had a season at Bristol Rovers in League One in 2020/21 but returned to skipper the Gills once more in 2021, playing for a further four seasons at Priestfield and making his 400th appearance for the club in April 2024.

Last season, 33-year-old Ehmer played 35 times in League Two to bring his total to 439 appearances, the sixth highest total in Gillingham history. The new man told FleetTV, “It does feel exciting and I’m looking forward to experiencing new things and making sure I play well. Ebbsfleet aren’t in the league we want to be in and with what’s going on around the place with the plans here, and with Josh Wright as manager, it’s all something I want to be part of. The players brought in are all strong additions and we’re here to get promoted, that’s the end game.”

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