Ebbsfleet United manager Josh Wright has finally landed a long-term target after striker Marcus Wyllie joined on loan from Gillingham for the remainder of the campaign.
Wyllie, 26, made his debut in Tuesday night’s 1-1 National League South draw at Horsham, arriving with Wright admitting the forward has been on his radar for much of the season. The Fleet boss has maintained close contact with Gillingham and believes the move can benefit both club and player as the forward looks to sharpen up after limited recent minutes.
“Marcus is someone that we’ve chased or been after pretty much all season,” he said. “We like Marcus a lot, he’s a little bit behind in terms of being up to speed, with the minutes he’s had.
“He’s just been training the last couple of weeks on the back of a little injury but we’re lucky to have Marcus because he’s a very good player.
“Even in training, you can see the way he finishes, he’s got that extra bit of quality. He’s a prolific goal scorer and he will give us something different.
Marcus Wyllie career
Born in Cyprus, Wyllie began his youth career with APOEL before moving to England at 17. His path to the professional game was anything but conventional. He worked his way through the non-league pyramid with spells at Chesham United Reserves, Risborough Rangers, Berkhamsted and Enfield Town, where his goalscoring record in the Isthmian League Premier Division caught wider attention.
That form earned him a move to Gillingham in July 2024, signing his first full-time professional contract. He made his senior debut in the EFL Cup against Swansea City and later found the net in the EFL Trophy. A loan spell at Dagenham & Redbridge followed in March 2025 as he sought regular football in the National League.
This season, opportunities in League Two have been limited, prompting another temporary switch, this time to Stonebridge Road. Wright believes Wyllie’s movement, physicality and finishing instincts will add a different dimension to his attack, even if full match sharpness may take time.
Move benefits everyone
Ebbsfleet’s need for attacking reinforcement has grown after inconsistent recent results, including a heavy defeat at Chesham prior to the Horsham draw. While frustrated not to convert dominance into victory in midweek, Wright took encouragement from the response and views Wyllie as part of the solution heading into Saturday’s home clash with Farnborough.
For Wyllie, the move represents another opportunity to prove he can translate prolific non-league numbers into consistent impact at a higher level. For Ebbsfleet, it is a calculated gamble on a forward whose journey suggests resilience, patience and a knack for finding the net when he’s settled and playing.