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Ebbsfleet United defender Paul Lorraine leaving the club after four years at Stonebridge Road

Paul Lorraine lifts the Kent Senior Cup Picture: Steve Crispe
Paul Lorraine lifts the Kent Senior Cup Picture: Steve Crispe

Fans favourite Paul Lorraine will leave Ebbsfleet United at the end of the season.

The centre-back has been at the club since 2010, captaining the Fleet for most of that time, but his work commitments mean he'll be moving on in the summer.

Ebbsfleet will train three mornings a week next season and Lorraine's circumstances don't allow him to make that switch. That means he could make his 165th and final appearance in Saturday's Skrill South play-off final against Dover at Stonebridge Road.

Since suffering an ankle injury in February, Lorraine hasn't been able to win back his place in the Fleet defence - although manager Steve Brown did give him the captain's armband for the Kent Senior Cup final on Monday.

Ebbsfleet beat Dover 4-0 and Lorraine was the best player on the pitch.

Brown said: "There were some terrific performances. I've got to say, Paul Lorraine picked up man-of-the-match and I thought he was outstanding.

"He's not been in the side since February, when he picked up an injury, and it's well-documented he'll be moving on because he can't do the morning training next year but he put in a captain's performance. I thought he was outstanding."

Daryl McMahon has taken over the captaincy in recent weeks and he played in the cup final on Monday, but it was fitting that Lorraine led the team out for what might have been his final Fleet appearance.

However, Brown said: "It might not be. When you put in a performance like that, I've got to weigh things up. Acheampong's injured and Mambo's injured. I've got Huke, Sankoka and Lorraine at the moment available to me and when you put in a performance like that, it might not be his last game.

"I'll have to assess that as the week goes on. We'll train in the week and I'll see who looks best, come the end of the week. It was done, I thought, in the right way.

"If it is to be his last game, what a way to go out - as captain, lifting the Kent Senior Cup."

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