Ebbsfleet United chief executive Damian Irvine says community engagement front and centre is critical to get full benefits of new stadium

Ebbsfleet chief executive Damian Irvine believes the club need to immerse themselves in the community to feel the true benefits of a proposed new stadium.

The club announced plans last week for a new 8,000-seater capacity stadium as part of a development, known as Northfleet Harbourside, which will cover 50 acres close to the harbour and river, and include shops and homes as well as office space and a hotel.

Clubs around Kent have benefited from ground moves in recent years, including Dartford and Maidstone, but Irvine feels the Fleet need to open their doors on a daily basis and become a focal part of the community.

“It’s not just you’ve got a lovely new stadium and you get better players and the performances change,” reflected Irvine.

“It’s more when you’ve got the right facility with the right conference and events centres, the right revenue-raising facilities around it and the right community integration so a club can really integrate.

“What happens is you get a much more engaged supporter base from people who are not pure football fans. Our core support is wonderful but we need people to help that core by being here and increasing the crowds.

“You need to have a stadium that Monday to Friday is busy and active, that people who aren’t necessarily football fans have an engagement with the stadium. They could be coming here for all sorts of different reasons, their charity meeting, shopping, whatever that is. That in itself is why clubs tend to have a bounce if it’s done right as the football club is more accessible and more attractive to a whole wider range of people.

“The bounce does happen but it becomes more because you are a living, breathing part of the community. It’s wonderful as it is but it’s just an