Ebbsfleet United's Chris Solly says he sees the game in a new light after first season as a player/coach under boss Dennis Kutrieb

Chris Solly is nearing the end of his first campaign as a player/coach - and he’s loved every minute.

The 31-year-old spent a decade as a professional at Charlton, winning two promotions to the Championship, but he’s enjoyed a fresh outlook on the game at Ebbsfleet in National League South.

A virtual ever-present for Dennis Kutrieb’s side, Solly has also seen the work that goes on by the management team as he takes the first steps on his coaching career.

“It’s been a bit of a different role for me obviously as a player/coach but I’ve loved working alongside the manager,” said Solly.

“The way he plays, there’s so many similarities in how I see the game. I’ve played a lot of minutes this season which is something I wanted to do, I wanted to play as much as I could while still dipping my toe into the other side of things.

“He has allowed me to do that and I can’t thank him enough. I’ve loved every minute of it.”

It’s a move that Solly has been working towards for some time - not many professional players take coaching badges before their mid-twenties.

But the fact he’s been able to work alongside a manager who shares his outlook on the game has been a major plus.

“I’ve always had my eye on it, even from quite a young age,” revealed Solly.

“I must have been 23 or 24 when I did my B licence and managing my body through the last 10 years or so has given me a keener interest in the other side of things as well.

“I started my A licence last summer so that’s coincided perfectly with playing here, still at a very good club and with the brand of football we play it’s impossible not to enjoy every game. I’m appreciating it.

“A lot of the beliefs the gaffer has, the way he sets us up and the positive brand of football he wants us to