New signing Craig Stone has hailed manager Chris Kinnear as the major factor behind his decision to sign for Dover Athletic.

The 24-year-old made 167 appearances in a Fleet shirt but he was not offered a contract by new manager Steve Brown.

Stone then had no hesitation in accepting Kinnear’s offer to head down the A2 and sign a one-year deal at Crabble.

He said: "Chris Kinnear and (assistant manager) Jake Leberl were keen from the start, they contacted me on numerous occasions.

"I didn't hear a single thing from the new owners or manager at Ebbsfleet. Whether there was interest or not, I didn't hang around too much to find out.

"Chris is a manager I've spoken to a couple of times during summers. He’s someone who’s always liked me and been interested in me.

"As soon as the season was over, he got in contact. We had a few chats and got on well. I had a few conversations with people I know and people I respect in football. They all said he’s a good guy, a football man, and I could see that.”