Anthony Cook has revealed he turned down big money and a three-year contract at a rival Conference South club to stay with Ebbsfleet.

The winger signed a new two-year deal at Stonebridge Road last week, committing himself to train three mornings a week as part of the Fleet’s new training regime.

It’s a move which takes Cook a step closer to full-time football, although the switch to daytime training will restrict his working hours for sports choreography agency Sports On Screen.

Cook said: “I had an offer on the table which was quite ridiculous. I could have earned a lot more money, working and playing part-time, so I had to weigh up the options and see what I wanted to do.

“I spoke to my family and I spoke to Browny (Steve Brown) and told him what had happened, that I’d been offered a three-year deal. I told him I wanted to stay but I had to think about it. I had to listen to what people were saying, I’d have been stupid not to.

“I won’t be able to work as much, so that’s a massive reason why I had to think about it. I won’t be able to earn as much money but it’s a decision I had to take.”

“Ebbsfleet is an ambitious club. It’s not a club you want to leave. I wanted to go more or less full-time, to give myself more time to improve my game.

"I think, with Ebbsfleet, we can get up this year. It was an easy decision, football-wise."