Ebbsfleet United sign former West Ham, Charlton and Gillingham defender Lewis Page after release by Dagenham & Redbridge

Former Charlton and Gillingham defender Lewis Page has become Ebbsfleet’s second new signing of the summer.

The 28-year-old moves to the Fleet after being released by National League rivals Dagenham, having played against Ebbsfleet twice last season.

Page worked with Ebbsfleet boss Danny Searle when the latter was a coach at West Ham.

“I’ve spoken to Danny for the last few weeks, I know him very well from my time at West Ham and we’ve stayed in contact,” Page told FleetTV. “He explained the club’s going in a positive direction and I’m really looking forward to being part of it.

“The way Danny sets up his team suits me really well. I can play left-back or left of a back three, I’m very attacking and I think one versus one is a strong point.”

Page made three substitute appearances for Gillingham at the end of the 2022/23 campaign, totalling 55 minutes on the pitch.

After coming through the academy at West Ham, Page had loan spells at Cambridge United and Coventry before joining Charlton in 2017.

He then moved to Exeter, Harrogate and Mansfield before his brief time at Priestfield. He has more than 100 Football League starts to his name.

“There’s not really any difference between League 2 and the National League, it’s very similar,” noted Page.

“It’s a good competition and the teams are very close, there’s not much in it apart from that cutting edge.”

On the game against Ebbsfleet in April, he added: “There was a real philosophy, you could see it in the game. We (Dagenham) were under pressure and Ebbsfleet put on a good performance and were unlucky not to get the win.”

Ebbsfleet have also confirmed that goalkeeper Mark Cousins has agreed a new deal to stay at the club next season.