Ebbsfleet United defender Jamie Fielding savouring fight for first-team places that comes with return to the game full-time

Ebbsfleet defender Jamie Fielding has welcomed the competition that has come with a return to full-time football.

The 26-year-old switched to Stonebridge Road in the summer after nearly four years at Tonbridge Angels.

With that has come a serious battle for places in manager Josh Wright’s starting XI.

“That’s what I wanted,” insisted Fielding, who was named supporters’ player of the year at Tonbridge last season. “I wanted a very competitive environment.

“I knew when I was signing about the players that were signing, but you know what comes with that is a really good squad.

“You need a good squad to do well in this league due to injuries and things like that.

“Everyone has to have the same mentality and be good for the team, and hopefully that will set us in good stead.

“I wanted to get back to full-time football. I really enjoyed my time at Tonbridge but each year I just wanted to progress and play professional football again.

“It’s something I’ve been able to do and something I want to continue to do.

“We’ve got several centre-backs and they’re all brilliant - great guys and ready to step in at any time.

“We have a great friendship between us because we know what our job needs to be. And that’s keeping clean sheets and winning games.

“Everyone’s on the same page, there’s no nastiness between us and it’s all about trying to get wins for the club.”

Fielding, who previously spent two years at Stevenage, has already felt the benefits of training full-time again.

He explained: “I think the difference in fitness levels is a lot compared to part-time. We were training once, maybe twice a week, last year with Tonbridge.

“Coming out of that and then going into the summer when you relax, you then start pre-season with the