Get the lowdown on the U’s next opponents: Ebbsfleet United.

The Opposition

Nicknamed The Fleet, Kent-based outfit Ebbsfleet are set to embark on another year in the sixth tier of English football, having seen their relegation confirmed back in March despite a spirited draw with Aldershot Town.

Headed up by manager Josh Wright, the Fleet will be aiming for a swift return to the National League, and will hope to end the season on a more positive note as they look to take momentum into their 2025/26 National League South campaign, starting with their third clash of the season with the U’s, having already lost twice to Steve Morison’s side in both the league and in the Isuzu FA Trophy.

Ebbsfleet have won just once since September and have enjoyed victory just twice all season, meaning things will be looking fairly bleak at the minute. However, they will be hoping to keep the core of their squad together, with the likes of Aaron Cosgrave, George Moncur, Toby Edser and Franklin Domi all showing glimpses of quality, along with long-term striker Dominic Poleon who will be hoping to rediscover his goalscoring form next season.

The Fleet have spent much of their recent history in the National League South, having ended a three-year absence from the fifth tier in 2023, and will be hoping it isn’t all doom and gloom with a promotion charge a real possibility next term.

Recent Form

Hartlepool United 3-2 Ebbsfleet United

Ebbsfleet United 2-2 Altrincham

Aldershot Town 3-3 Ebbsfleet United

Ebbsfleet United 1-0 AFC Fylde

Solihull Moors 2-1 Ebbsfleet United

Eastleigh 2-0 Ebbsfleet United

The Manager

Josh Wright

Former Fleet midfielder Josh Wright took over as manager of the club back in December, having previously spent two years as a regular figure in the centre of the park at the Kuflink Stadium.

Wright began his career at Charlton Athletic and signed his first professional deal in April 2007, before spending time on loan at Barnet, Brentford and Gillingham. However, upon his return to the Addicks, the young midfielder would be released at the expiry of his contract, and he subsequently made the switch to Scunthorpe United in an attempt to carve out a career, with Wright turning down moves to big clubs in order to play regular first team football.

He subsequently impressed during a two-year stint in Lincolnshire, and earned a move to Championship club Millwall after featuring 71 times for the Iron. Despite initially signing a short-term deal at The Den, he ended up staying for four years, notably scoring a 2012 Mitre Goal of the Year nomination with a 30-yard volley against Burnley, before having two loan spells at Leyton Orient sandwiching a stint at Crawley Town, and thus brought his time with the Lions to a close with a permanent switch to the O’s.

The England youth international later returned to Gillingham, where he made 85 appearances, before stints at Southend United and Bradford City preceded a return to Orient, where he became the last player to be signed by the late Justin Edinburgh.

After appearing 44 times for the O’s across a two-year spell, Wright departed Brisbane Road for a brief return to Crawley, before dropping into non-league in favour of a player/coach role at Billericay Town. He spent seven months in Essex before moving to fellow National League South side Ebbsfleet, and contributed to the Fleet’s title-winning season in 2022/23, as well as helping the Kent-based outfit to a successful survival challenge the following year.

However, following a difficult start to the 2024/25 campaign, Wright briefly took over as caretaker manager following Danny Searle’s dismissal, and was later named as Harry Watling’s permanent replacement back in December, becoming became their third manager of the season. He has since overseen just one win at the Kuflink Stadium – a 2-1 win over relegation battlers AFC Fylde – and couldn’t prevent the Fleet from confirming their relegation at the end of March.

One to Watch

George Moncur

Experienced midfielder George Moncur has spent just three months at the Kuflink Stadium so far, but has impressed during his brief stint in Kent and saw his move made permanent at the end of March – an announcement which was met with an extremely positive reaction.

Born in Swindon, Moncur was spotted playing for Essex-based side Buckhurst Hill and joined Tottenham Hotspur, following in the footsteps of his father, John. He progressed through the academy until the age of 13, before graduating from West Ham United’s Academy of Football, becoming a full-time scholar in 2009 and earning his first professional deal a year later.

He was later called up to the First Team for the first time in a League Cup match against Aldershot Town, in which he was an unused substitute, before spending time on loan at AFC Wimbledon, Partick Thistle and Colchester United. He impressed in each of his spells and later joined Colchester permanently, going on to play almost 100 times for the club.

This was followed by a three-year spell at Barnsley where he remained a regular figure either side of a brief loan spell at Peterborough United, before moving to Luton Town in 2019. He contributed to the Hatters’ promotion to the Championship come the end of the season, notably scored the winning goal in a 3–2 victory over Portsmouth that sent the club five points clear at the top of the League One table, and cemented his rise up the football pyramid with 38 second tier appearances, a number which continued to increase with a move to Hull City in 2021.

The England youth international spent a season with the Tigers, before returning to League One with a move to Leyton Orient, and he subsequently spent three years at Brisbane Road, playing 86 times.

His time with the O’s has only recently come to an end, however, having dropped into the National League last summer with a loan move to Southend United, and saw his season-long deal prematurely terminated in January in order to facilitate a move to Ebbsfleet.

He has largely impressed at the Kuflink Stadium despite the Fleet’s overall struggles on the pitch, and made the move permanent at the end of March after playing 16 times for the club.

Last Time We Met

Siju Odelusi and Finley Barbrook led the Sutton comeback as the U’s progress to the Fourth Round of the Isuzu FA Trophy, through Nana Boateng’s deciding penalty.

Boateng had kicked things off when he gave Sutton the lead shortly before the break, though the architect was truly Jeremy Sivi who drove through midfield before sliding it through to Boateng, who raced forward and slotted past Magnus Norman.

However, within two minutes of the restart Ebbsfleet were back on level terms when substitute Callum Harriott picked out Todd Kane who rifled the ball home, and the Fleet turned the game on its head just six minutes later when Aaron Cosgrove arrowed a shot into the bottom corner to switch the advantage the way of the visitors.

Ebbsfleet then shocked the Sutton faithful when they added a third just after the hour-mark, Harriott turning to scorer when a rapid counter-attack saw Franklin Domi slide the ball through to the winger, before drilling the ball past Jack Sims to extend the advantage.

With the U’s consigned to defeat, it took a moment of magic for Steve Morison’s side to spark a comeback, as Ryan Jackson’s throw-in was headed as far as Finley Barbrook who fizzed a beautiful first-time volley past Norman to pull a goal back, and it was a second Jackson delivery that brought a leveller moments later, with his throw-in causing havoc in the box, and eventually led to Eduino Vaz before fouled in the box, with Odelusi stepping up to calmly convert from 12 yards and restore a lifeline.

A penalty shootout was subsequently required to decide a winner, with Boateng stepping up after scoring three penalties in a row, along with three saves from Sims, to send Sutton through to the Fifth Round.

Head-to-Head

Sutton United 3-3 Ebbsfleet United (4-2 on pens) (07/12/2024)

Sutton United 3-2 Ebbsfleet United (21/09/2024)

Ebbsfleet United 1-1 Sutton United (01/02/2020)

Sutton United 2-3 Ebbsfleet United (26/10/2019)

Sutton United 1-0 Ebbsfleet United (26/01/2019)

Ebbsfleet United 0-1 Sutton United (14/08/2018)

Ebbsfleet United 0-1 Sutton United (21/04/2018)

Sutton United 0-0 Ebbsfleet United (28/10/2017)

Played for Both

Kwame Thomas

Saint Kitts and Nevis international Kwame Thomas joined Ebbsfleet at the start of the season, but previously spent time at Sutton across two separate stints.

Born in Nottingham, Thomas began his career at Derby County where he played a handful of times before moving on loan to Notts County and Blackpool. This preceded a move to Coventry City in 2016, spending two years with the Sky Blues, before spending a month on loan at Conference side Sutton – then in their second season in the fifth tier – where he featured just four times.

Thomas subsequently returned to the National League with a loan move at Solihull Moors which was later made permanent, before dropping into the National League North with a loan move to Kidderminster Harriers.

After returning to Damson Park, the forward was released at the expiry of his contract, but earned a move back into the EFL with a switch to Doncaster Rovers. Spells at Burton Albion and AFC Wrexham followed, before returning to Sutton – now in League Two – ahead of the 2022/23 campaign. He went on to play 11 times for the club, moving across the border for a brief loan spell at Scottish side Dundee, before being released by the U’s at the end of the season.

Thomas later returned to the National League with a move to Aldershot Town, and was regular figure in the Shots’ team with 42 appearances during the 2023/24 campaign. However, this preceded a move to Ebbsfleet ahead of the current campaign, making his debut from the bench in the league opener away to Gateshead before scoring his first goal with a last-minute equaliser at home against Wealdstone back in October.

The forward went on to play 28 times for the Fleet, before returning to Aldershot on loan at the end of March.

Photo Credit: Ebbsfleet United Football Club