Maidstone United F.C.

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Maidstone United

Full name	Maidstone United Football Club
Nickname(s)	The Stones, The Old Maiden, Invicta
Founded	1992
Ground	Homelands, Ashford (Capacity: 3,535)
Chairman	Paul Bowden-Brown
Manager	Alan Walker and Lloyd Hume
League	Isthmian League Premier Division
2008–09	Isthmian League Premier Division 15th
Home colours Away colours

Maidstone United Football Club are an English football team from Maidstone, Kent.

The current club is a continuation of the old Maidstone United, former members of the Football League between 1989 and 1992, they were forced out of the league by financial ruin but the youth squad formed the nucleus of a new club. The 'Stones' were elected to the Kent County League Fourth Division in 1993 and have since progressed through the non-league pyramid.

The club currently play in the Isthmian League Premier Division. Maidstone have not had a stadium of their own in the county town since 1988. Despite having a recent bid to receive funding for a new stadium from the Football Foundation turned down, the club still aim to build a ground at James Whatman Way, raising funds through another grant scheme (hoped to bring in £150,000) and various fundraising initiatives.

History

See also: Maidstone United F.C. (1897)

The new club and Kent County League years

Maidstone Invicta was formed within days of the Football League side folding. However, due to the lack of a suitable ground, the club was effectively relegated 7 divisions to the basement of the footballing pyramid and they joined the Fourth Division of the Kent County League for the 1993-94 season. The club's home games took place on a pitch behind the Mormon (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) church, which had originally been the MUFC reserves and training pitch - just meters from where the old stadium had been. Initially Jim Thompson ran the club, but after his ban director Paul Bowden-Brown took over as Chairman. Bowden-Brown remains in his post to this day.^[1]

The newly created Kent County League side was formed with the nucleus of the original club's youth team - and comfortably won the Fourth Division of the County League under the stewardship of Jack Whitely and Bill Tucker. They also managed to win the West Kent Challenge Shield and the Tunbridge Wells Charity Cup. During the close season of 1994 the club managed to gain promotion to Division Two of the league after restructuring. The club went onto win Division 2 picking up the Kent Junior Cup on the way. However, the Stones, who had now returned to their original guise of Maidstone United, took 3 years and six managers before finally winning promotion to the Kent County League Premier Division. Led by former Stones player Jason Lillis and captained by former Gillingham and Maidstone player Paul Haylock, they won the Kent County League Division One by a massive 13 points. In their debut season in the Premier Division, the Stones finished 3rd. In the 2000-01 season the club, were now managed by another former Maidstonian in Matt Toms, successfully applied to become a Senior club. This now left the door open to try and attain elavation to the Kent League (with the County League being a step 7 league, and the Kent League being a step 5 league straight-forward promotion was not possible).^[1]

The Kent League years

Maidstone win the Kent League title for the second time

The club's application was accepted and the Stones started the 2001-2002 season in the Kent League. However, the clubs current home ground in Maidstone was nowhere near Kent League standards so the Stones agreed to groundshare with Sittingbourne at their Central Park stadium. In their first Kent League season since reformation, Maidstone won the Kent League and Cup double under the management of Jim Ward. However, the club could not gain promotion to the Southern League Eastern Division due to problems with the lease on Central Park. The lease problems continued and during the 2002 close season both Sittingbourne and Maidstone moved out of Central Park to a new ground, named Bourne Park, which was built on the same complex using the old training pitch. The 2002-2003 season proved to be a very successful season for United. The club returned to the FA Cup for the first time since reformation and were featured on BBC Sport's 'Road to Wembley' feature. The Stones played out a 1-1 draw with neighbours and Kent League rivals Ramsgate in the Extra Preliminary round of the cup, but managed to overcome the Thanet side in the replay. In the Preliminary Round, Maidstone played local rivals Tonbridge Angels in front of a bumper 1037 crowd and the Stones overcame the Southern League East side by 3 goals to 2. An away win against Newport (IoW) was followed with a record home crowd of 937 seeing Maidstone bow out against Boreham Wood in the 2nd Qualifying Round of the FA Cup. In the league, the Stones looked destined to win the league but after a poor run in, coupled with the withdrawal from the league of Faversham Town, meant the club bizarrly lost the title by 0.14 of a point (the League Management Committee decreed that the title would be awarded to the club with the highest earned points per match average, so with Maidstone and Thamesmead Town achieving 63 points from 30 games, the unusual situation arose that the championship was won by a club with 62 points from 29 games). However the Stones did pick up some silverware that season, winning both the Kent Senior Trophy and the Kent Charity Cup. However this paled into insignificance as another attempt to gain promotion to the Southern League was knocked back. After a couple of stagnant seasons, with the club remaining in the Kent League, Maidstone were now managed by Lloyd Hume and Alan Walker. The ex-Gillingham duo managed to win the Kent League in the 2005-06 season and the club finally gained promotion to Step 4 of the non league pyramid, joining the Isthmian League Division One South. However more importantly, the club's bid to return back to Maidstone had a huge boost when a 99-year lease was signed for the land just off of James Whatman Way.^[1]

The Isthmian years

Maidstone, surprisingly, managed to win the Isthmian League Division One South at the first time of asking, beating Walton Casuals on the last day of the season to ensure the 2006–07 league championship. However, the overwhelming success in the league was overshadowed by the lack of visible progress on the club's proposed new ground.

The 2007–08 season proved to be one of the most turbulent seasons in the club's chequered history. Pre season preparation was thrown into complete disarray at the news that influential manager Alan Walker had broken his neck and severed his spinal cord in a freak training ground accident. Walker made a valiant recovery however, and was back in management by the start of the league season. The club lost their first three league games, conceding 13 goals and scoring none. Nevertheless, by November the Stones had seemably settled in their new league and reached the heady heights of 6th place. However the good form did not last and player coming and goings left the squad extremely unsettled - meaning the team slid towards the foot of the table, flirting with relegation for much of 2008. Maidstone managed to avoid relegation thanks to a last day 1-0 victory against Folkestone Invicta, and in the process relegated the Seasiders in a winner-takes-all match.^[1]

The 2008-09 was another chequered season for Maidstone. Despite basically a brand new team on the pitch (which included the likes of James Pinnock and Ian Cox), things off the pitch continued to be a problem. The clubs bid for a grant from the Football Foundation to build a ground at James Whatman Way was turned down and the chairman announced that due to the recession the clubs wage bill would have to be slashed dramatically. Some players, including Ian Selley, left the club but the vast majority took a pay cut and remained at the club. At a meeting held in January 2009, Paul Bowden-Brown confirmed the club's wage bill had been slashed from £6000 to £3000 per week. At a later date he also revealed on The Stones' radio station that the club projected a loss of £117,000 for the year ending June 2009. The club was briefly linked with a takeover from local businessman David Folb, however no firm negotiations materialised. Despite the disappointment of another season losing money and being no closer to coming home, Maidstone technically had their best season since reforming, finishing a comfortable 15th in the league and reaching the 4th qualifying round of the FA Cup.

During the 2009 close season Maidstone moved from their temporary Bourne Park home in Sittingbourne to Ashford Town's Homelands Stadium. As part of the deal The Stones receive 40% of bar and food takings on their matchdays and will have various corporate packages available, thus bringing in much needed income that was not available during the clubs tenure at Bourne Park. The club are also paying 24% less rent than they were at Sittingbourne. As of October 2009 the clubs attendances had taken a significant dip on that time last year, with the attendance of 200 against Aveley being the lowest league crowd since the Kent League days.

Colours and badge

Since the formation of Maidstone United the clubs main colours have been amber and black. Records show that the club's first home shirt had amber and black stripes, however over time the black was faded out in favour of amber shirts with black trimmings. From 1970-1973, Maidstone have a brief foray of flirting with all white home shirts, but returned back to their traditional amber outfit after this time and it remains amber to this day. All white was considered as the traditional away shirt for the club since reforming, however the Stones are playing in a sky blue away kit for the 2009-10 season.

Unlike some clubs, Maidstone have stayed away from 'logo' type badges, instead sticking to tradition with the same club badge being displayed for their whole existence. The badge is exactly the same as the town's coat of arms, with the only difference being the town's motto, "Agriculture and Commerce", being replaced with "Maidstone United FC".

Stadia

After the original club folded, the new Maidstone United played their games on a pitch behind the Mormon (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) church, which had originally been the MUFC reserves and training pitch - just metres from where the old ground had been. The club played for a year at Sittingbourne F.C.'s old Central Park stadium in their first Kent League season before relocating, along with the "Brickies", to Bourne Park, a converted training pitch behind the main Central Park complex. The Stones stayed at Bourne Park for seven years. In summer 2009 the Stones moved from Bourne to groundshare with Ashford Town at their Homelands ground. Sittingbourne chairman Andy Spice was quoted as saying that the reason for the move was that Ashford offered a much better financial package for Maidstone, with rent being slashed by 24% and the Stones getting a 40% slice of food and bar takings on their matchdays. The Stones received no food or bar takings during their time at Bourne Park.

In November 2004 Maidstone were granted planning permission to build a new stadium on Whatman Way, in Maidstone town centre, on the banks of the River Medway. After numerous delays due to legal wranglings, preliminary work began on 23 January 2007, although little visible activity has happened since. In August 2008 the club placed a bid for a grant from the Football Foundation^[2], however it was turned down. The club have been advised to make a new bid to the foundation for a maximum £150,000 grant.

Supporters

Maidstone averaged home crowds of 388 during the 2008-09 season at their temporary home at Sittingbourne's Bourne Park ground, 10 miles (16 km) from Maidstone town centre. It was the 9th highest average crowd in the Isthmian League Premier Division. The club also had the second best away average attendance (581) in the Isthmian League Premier Division for the 2008-2009 season, only being beaten by runaway champions Dover Athletic.

Rivalries

Maidstone fans still hold a lot of resentment for Gillingham after their short lived time in Division 4 of The Football League together. Along with the Gills, the Stones support generally consider Tonbridge Angels as their main rivals. Maidstone's support also hold some resentment towards Ramsgate Dartford and Sittingbourne. The club's supporters have a very friendly relationship with the supporters of Dover Athletic and Hastings United.

First team

As of 17 November 2009

No. Position Player GK Jamie Turner GK Richard Knell GK Adam Harris DF Nathan Paul DF Tom Parkinson DF James Peacock DF Lloyd Hume DF Peter Hawkins DF Ashley Ulph MF Shannon O'Donovan MF Sam Morrison MF Dean Hernández-Bradshaw MF Jay Saunders (captain)

No. Position Player MF Nick Barnes MF Roland Edge MF Ant Bodle MF Steve Elliott MF Jermaine Darlington MF Alex Flisher FW Lynden Rowland FW Keelan Mooney FW Ashley Dann FW Gabriel Odunaike FW Meshach Nugent FW James Pinnock FW Danny Hockton

N.B. The Isthmian League does not use a squad numbering system

Club staff and officials

Reserves, youth and community

Maidstone United's reserve side currently competing in Division 1 of the Kent League. Maidstone's youth sides are currently members of the Isthmian Youth League and Kent Youth League. The club also runs girls,disability and futsal teams. Maidstone have also merged with Maidstone Rangers F.C., who are members of the Invicta Primary League, the Maidstone Primary League and the Maidstone Minor League.

Maidstone's youth system has been successful over the last couple of years. Four of Maidstone's youth graduates, Ashley Ulph, Sam Morrison, Rob Carter and Chris Smalling, have all played for England Schoolboys' Under 18 side over the last three years. Smalling, who featured for the first team during the 2007–08 season when not on international duty, joined Fulham in the summer of 2008 and made his first team debut against Everton on the last day of the 2008-09 season. Ulph is now a first team regular for the Stones and Morrison is on the fringes of the first team. Rob Carter plays for Conference South team Bromley.

The club has a strong emphisis on football for the community, and have a comprehensive scheme to provide football coaching to all genders, ages and abilities in the town. As well as boys & girls teams off all ages, there are PAN disability and futsal teams. United are a Charter Standard Community Club and were one of the first clubs in the country to sign up to the Deaf Friendly Football Clubs pledge. The club has also joined forces with Astor of Hever School and other local primary schools, delivering football to school students off all ages across the town. The school has also opened up a football academy in association with United. The club also runs futsal training sessions and community coaching (not directly associated with the clubs teams) for all girls and boys.

Noted players

See also Cat:Maidstone United F.C. players.

• Aaron Lacy - Club record appearance holder.
• Adrian Webster - Played for Maidstone between 2002 and 2003. Has 5 caps for the full New Zealand national team.
• Chris Smalling - Fulham centre half and England Youth International and with Maidstone as a youngster, making a smattering of first team appearances from 2007-2008. Generally thought of as the best Stones youth product since reformation.^[3]
• Ian Selley - Former Arsenal midfielder Ian Selley had a brief spell at Maidstone in 2008 before moving on to Croydon Athletic. Currently doing some informal scouting for The Stones.
• Ian Cox - Centre half who played for Trinidad and Tobago. Has also made over 450 Football League appearances.

Managers

Shirt sponsors and manufacturers

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Honours

• Isthmian League
  • Division One South Champions 2006-07
• Kent League
  • Premier Division
    • Champions 2001-02, 2005-06
    • Runners-Up 2002-03
  • Premier Division Cup Winners 2002, 2006
  • Charity Shield Winners 2002, 2003
• Kent County League
  • Division One Champions 1998-99
  • Division Two Champions 1994-95
  • Division Four Champions 1993-94
• Kent Senior Trophy
  • Winners 2003
• Kent Junior Cup
  • Winners 1995
• Weald of Kent Charity Cup
  • Winners 2000, 2001
• West Kent Challenge Shield
  • Winners 1994, 1999
  • Runners-Up 1995
• Tunbridge Wells Charity Cup
  • Winners 1994

Records

Home attendances

• FA Cup - 25/10/2008 - 1,719 - AFC Wimbledon^[4]
• FA Trophy - 05/11/2006 - 321 - Ashford Town (Middlesex)
• FA Vase - 19/11/2005 - 423 - Andover
• Isthmian League - 05/01/2008 - 1,224 - AFC Wimbledon
• Kent League - 25/03/2006 - 573 - Beckenham Town
• Kent County League - 16/04/2001 - 320 - Snodland
• Friendly - 12/03/2002 - 1,589 - Gillingham

Results League positions/cup runs

• FA Cup best run - 4th Qualifying Round - 2008/09
• FA Trophy best run - 3rd Qualifying Round - 2007/08
• FA Vase best run - 3rd Round (replay) - 2005/06
• Best league position - Isthmian League Premier Division - 15th - 2008/09

• Victory - 26/03/1994 - 12-1 - Aylesford - Kent County League Div 4
• Defeat - 25/08/2007 - 0-7 - Chelmsford City - Isthmian League Premier Division

Appearance record

• Aaron Lacy 246

References

• "Maidstone United - Historical Football Kits". http://www.historicalkits.co.uk/Maidstone_United/Maidstone_United.htm. Retrieved 2008-01-16. 
• "Maidstone United F.C. Crest & Club History". http://www.footballcrests.com/clubs/maidstone-united-fc. Retrieved 2008-01-16. 
• "Golden Days (from Internet Archive copy of official club website)". http://web.archive.org/web/20060621054253/www.maidstoneunited.co.uk/gold/index.htm. Retrieved 2007-12-27. 
• "Football Club History Database - Maidstone United". http://www.fchd.info/MAIDSTOU.HTM. Retrieved 2008-02-21. 

External links

• Maidstone United Official Website
• Stones Community
• Bringing Football Home - official website for the Stones' return to the town
• Show Me The Way To Go Home - the site for the unofficial Maidstone United fanzine website (includes message board)
• Maidstone United video clips at nonleaguefootball.tv

Coordinates: 51°06′18.00″N 0°51′21.51″E / 51.105°N 0.855975°E / 51.105; 0.855975