Former Ebbsfleet chief executive Damian Irvine on staying in football, the challenges in non-league football and the Fleet’s future under new owner John O’Leary

Departed Ebbsfleet chief executive Damian Irvine still wants to stay involved in football.

Irvine stepped down from his post after six and a half years on Friday, with his final game the 3-1 FA Cup win at Maidenhead on Saturday.

While he may need some time out to recharge the batteries, Irvine hopes his future is in the game, despite his background also encompassing rugby.

“I think there's a lot going on in rugby at the moment in this country, but football's still where it's at,” said Irvine.

“I think the football pyramid is unbelievable here. It's not something I've spent a lot of time considering at the moment, but I think I know and have learned over the years what it takes to make a football club tick or to solve the problems.

“Clubs need people to be their advocates when they work or lead a club. A lot of clubs are very blessed to have chairman or people that can do that.

“The model of football in this country is messed up. That's just on the record. The finances are messed up. The wage scales are far beyond core revenues and that just doesn't make for a smart industry financially and it's a risky industry.

“I've always been at places where I've tried to rectify that, and had to try and rectify that. I'm quite passionate about that. So that's a fight that people need to keep having for clubs because where we sit on the pyramid, League 2, National League and below, it's the pointy end of that. It really is.

“It's the worst levels of the repercussions of that model. There's enough revenue and stuff in the Championship and in the Premier League to get over that, to still lose millions and have it. But at this level there's not.

“So, I love football and I love football clubs and the people, so it'd be nice to stay in