Ebbsfleet United keeper Mark Cousins has announced his retirement as a player to join the Blues’ academy as a coach.

Cousins, 38, has been with Fleet since 2022, helping them to the National League South title in his first season with the club and is one of only three Ebbsfleet players to win successive supporters’ player-of-the-year awards.

The Chelmsford-born glovesman started his career with Colchester United, where he spent more than a decade after signing as a 16-year-old.

While with the U’s he made 67 starts and three sub appearances, and had stints on loan at Whitton United, Staines, Enfield and Yeading.

In 2014, he moved on to Dagenham & Redbridge, where he remained for four years, before stints at Barnet and Bromley, where he was part of a team which won the 2021/22 FA Trophy, prior to his move to his latest club.

He will remain with the Kent side as goalkeeping cover for two more matches before joining Town in an academy coaching role.

Revealing the end of his time at the Stonebridge Road ground, Cousins said: “I’ve come to the decision to hang up my gloves playing-wise and take an opportunity at Ipswich Town within the academy department, coaching the goalkeepers there, so really looking forward to that.”

Fleet boss Josh Wright paid tribute: “It’s been an absolute honour and privilege to firstly share the changing room and pitch with Mark but then to also manage such a top pro and all-round fantastic player and person.

“There aren’t many people in the game like Mark. He will be massively missed by all at the club and he’ll go down as one of the Ebbsfleet greats when you look back on his time here. He will be leaving an incredible legacy here and his impact has been extraordinary.

“He will always be a true inspiration to others that have and will continue to enter the Ebbsfleet United changing room, leaving a lasting impression.

“It’s the end of an era for Mark and we wish him nothing but the best and every success in the new role that he is taking up.

“He has had a career to be immensely proud of and I am confident he will go on to big things in his new job. Thank you for everything Cuzzo!”

CEO Damian Irvine added: “The greatest compliment I can give to Mark and his tenure at this football club is that everything we needed and were looking for at the time he joined us, and everything he said he would deliver and provide for the club on and off the pitch, he has done – and more.”

Photo: MI News via Reuters Connect

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