MEET THE OPPOSITION | EBBSFLEET UNITED

Aaron Evans • April 6, 2023

Oxford City face a tough visit to an Ebbsfleet United side looking to secure their status as Vanarama National League South champions in an enticing Good Friday fixture

The Hoops are coming off the back of an emphatic 4-0 win over Tonbridge Angels and currently sit third knowing they cannot get complacent to secure a play-off finish. Ahead of this clash, we take a look at Saturday’s opposition.

History:

Ebbsfleet United – originally Gravesend and Northfleet F.C. – was formed in 1946 merging Gravesend United (1893) and Northfleet United (1890). The club wouldn’t adopt their current name until 2007.

The Kent-based outfit were among the founder members of the Alliance Premier League (National League). Gravesend & Northfleet would leave the Southern League in the 1997-98 season for the Isthmian League where they played until promotion to the Conference in 2002.

The Fleet were bought in 2007 by website, ‘MyFootballClub’. The buyout was completed after 27,000 members of the website paid £35 each funding a £700,000 takeover of the club with equal shares and a say major decisions at the club.

Ebbsfleet tasted Wembley glory staving off Torquay United to win the FA Trophy in 2010 – an inaugural win for a Kentish team in the competition. However, the membership of MyFC was on the decline since the takeover.

Following relegation to the Conference South in 2010, the Fleet would return to the Conference Premier in 2011. However, financial difficulties in the following season meant two-thirds of shares were handed to the Fleet Trust before eventual relegation that year.

Following the MyFC ownership, Ebbsfleet were taken over by Kuwaiti investors, KEH Sports Ltd in 2013 with promised investment and staff changes in place before the Kent side came up short in the play-off final that year under manager Steve Brown.

United would then have to wait until the 2016/17 season for promotion to the National League where they would record a club-high sixth place finish the following year before narrowly missing out on the playoffs in 2019.

However, the 2020 season culminated in relegation for Ebbsfleet on a points per game basis due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Last season, the Fleet came agonisingly close to a return to the National League after defeat in the Play-Off Final to Dorking Wanderers.

However, they've reacted superbly to bounce back from such a defeat this season and it is now a question of when, not if, they'll secure the title.

Current Form:

It is all a matter of when, not if, Ebbsfleet United are crowned champions. The Fleet need a point to secure the Championship with a significantly superior goal difference unlikely to be topped by Dartford who are currently 21 points off the league leaders.

The VNLS leaders have been rampant this year as their superior statistics would suggest in the table. Despite suffering a 4-0 thumping at Dartford at the beginning of the year, the Kentish side have been on a tremendous unbeaten run winning 14 out of 18 games recording 4 draws in the process.

In their last outing, Dennis Kutrieb’s men edged out Taunton Town 1-0 last Saturday following victories over Slough Town and Dulwich Hamlet to solidify their position atop the table.

Ebbsfleet’s ruthlessness has made them tough to beat overall suffering just five defeats all season whilst netting 95 times – the best of each stat this season.

Meet the gaffer: Dennis Kutrieb

Dennis Kutrieb took over at Ebbsfleet United in June 2020 replacing former manager Kevin Watson in the dugout after his contract ended.

Kutrieb had previously worked in Germany leading Tennis Borussia Berlin (TeBe) to the top of German football’s top tier before COVID interrupted proceedings. Prior to the abandonment of the season, TeBe topped the NOFV-Oberliga Nord as an offensively potent side with a solid defence registering 61 goals whilst conceding just 17.

The German’s managerial experience extends back to 2014 starting out with TuS Makkabi Berlin for before a move to VSG Altglienicke. Kutrieb was initially Tennis Borussia Berlin U19s manager before stepping up to the senior team where he recorded significant success in a short managerial career so far before a move to England.

Club Captain: Chris Solly

A hugely experienced full-back who played more than 300 times for Charlton Athletic in the Championship since making his debut in the 2008/09 season. He became increasingly influential in the Charlton side and was voted as the supporter's player of the year twice.

He was a regular for the Addicks at right-back across the next four seasons, winning two promotions in his 11 years with the London club.

He departed the Valley in 2020 and began training with the Fleet in December 2020. The club then made his stay permanent and he know combines his playing role with coaching as part of the first-team management staff.

Last season he picked up the club's Player of the Year award after a series of impressive performances.

Key Player: Dominic Poleon

Amongst a strong Ebbsfleet side, it is hard to look past the man spearheading the attack for the Fleet. Dominic Poleon leads the way in the race for the golden boot with 33 goals to his name in 40 appearances in the VNLS this season.

Poleon also recently reached the 50-goal mark in Ebbsfleet colours.

The pacey forward also has significant experience under his belt having played over 200 times in the EFL – 36 of those came for Leeds United in the Championship between 2012-2015.

Having started out at Chelsea and Southend United at Youth level, Poleon has also featured for the likes of Sheffield United, Oldham Athletic, AFC Wimbledon and Bradford City amongst later spells with Crawley Town, Newport County and Dover Athletic.

Poleon signed for the Fleet in February 2021 and his killer instinct in front of goal is certainly something Oxford City need to be wary of.