Ramsgate newcomer Donvieve Jones is looking forward to challenging himself at the higher level with a club that shares his ambitions.

At 25, Jones was keen for a new challenge, ending three years with a Sittingbourne side that pushed Ramsgate all the way towards the Isthmian South East title.

Keeping that momentum going, from a personal and club perspective, is key for the exciting right-back.

He said: “Ramsgate was one of those clubs where you're like, ‘wow’.

“For us to have finished with 101 points and not get promoted, even to this day, it still hurts.

“We were waiting for them to lose, and they just didn’t lose!

“We had a good season, but they obviously had a better season, and you’ve got to give credit where it's due.

“Fair play to them and credit to (manager) Ben Smith, the players and their staff.

“I’m all about projects and finding a project that suits me. I was at Faversham for three years. I enjoyed it. I was at Sittingbourne for three years. I’ve enjoyed it.

“I’m not someone who just likes to bounce from club to club. I like to be sold on the project, and then once I’m sold on the project, I commit to it.

“I wouldn’t want to be somewhere where I don’t see myself for a couple of seasons, at least.

“ I feel like as I’m getting older, I just want to test myself now as a player.

“Ramsgate are doing unbelievably well. I like the way the club’s going. Everything’s just positive down there.

“If you look at the fans, for example, they’re averaging over 1,000 a game and that was at step four when you might play against some teams that don’t even bring away fans!

“Ben’s sold the project to me as well, they don’t want to just settle in the next division either, they want to go again. It just fits with my ambition.

“It was really difficult to leave Sittingbourne because it was literally like a home. I felt like I got to the point where I gave everything and I just needed a new challenge.

“I want to test myself at a higher level because I’ve played that league for so many years now. That was pretty much my only reason for leaving.”

With 12 goals in his first season at the Brickies, it was under Ryan Maxwell that Jones refined his right-back role, ensuring both he and the team were impressing.

He bagged seven and then eight goals in the last two seasons as Sittingbourne challenged for promotion.

Jones said: “When Maxi came in, everything changed. He put it more into the perspective that ‘it’s not all just about you and your goals’ which was fair enough.

“I was scoring but the team wasn’t doing well and we needed to do more to find the balance of both. When Maxi came in, that’s when real stability came in, with Sittingbourne as a club in general.

“Then came that winning mentality and that drive just to keep pushing and never just settle to be in the league for the sake of being in the league, to try and actually achieve something.

“I really wanted to help the club just get promoted and he’s the type of manager that you want to play for.

“It’s been a mad turnaround (since the end of the season) because I was so convinced that we were going to go up (at Sittingbourne). I thought our team was that good.”

The Brickies finished eight points behind Ramsgate and then lost to Burgess Hill on penalties in the play-off final.

Jones said: “Quite a few players have left but they’re leaving to go higher. That’s what it’s about because football’s a short career. You’ve got to be grateful while you’re in the game.

“Eventually, you’re going to have to test yourself and come out of your comfort zone.

“Ramsgate play a lot of attacking football and where I’m an attacking full-back, I feel like it’s going to really help me and enhance my game, especially on a surface where you know it’s going to be good every single week.

“I feel like that will really help me and I’m quite excited to see how far I can really push myself in the higher division.”

Also heading to Southwood to bolster the defence is Raphe Brown, who joins from Maidstone United.

Jones has been joined at Ramsgate by Mitchell May, who also leaves Sittingbourne.

Jones is confident that Sittingbourne will bounce back and challenge next season under Maxwell’s management.

“Maxi will always build a good team, so it doesn’t even concern me for Sittingbourne,” he said.

“Maxi’s probably the best at building teams from scratch.

“Credit to him, really, the fact that with those who have left, we’re not moving sideways. We’re progressing and he’s happy that we’re progressing.

“Although it’s probably bittersweet, of course, he’d want us to stay and want us to try and win the league again.

“At the same time, he’s done a job as a manager of progressing us as footballers, which is great.”