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Maidstone
United reformed in 1992 following the demise of the Football
League side. The Stones started life again as Maidstone
Invicta under the leadership of Chairman Paul Bowden-Brown
whose dream was to return senior football to the County
Town. The club's promotion to the Bass Brewers Kent League
in the summer of 2001, was the culmination of nine years
hard work by him and other supporters who refused to let
their football club die.
Maidstone United
joined the Kent County League Division Four for the 1993/94
season and won the title at the first attempt. They also
picked up the West Kent Challenge Shield and the Tunbridge
Wells Charity Cup. They were promoted to Division Two following
a restructuring of the league and won the title again as
well as lifting the Kent Junior Cup and reaching the final
of the West Kent Challenge Shield.
After three seasons
in Division One the Stones finally earned promotion to the
Kent County League Premier Division by winning the title
by a massive 13 points. Much of the credit for turning the
club around on the field must go to the then manager Jason
Lillis. Lillis has a place in Stones' history as the only
player to appear in Maidstone United's first and last games
in the Football League. He managed to attract a host of
quality players to the club, including former Stones and
Gillingham captain Paul Haylock.
In their first
season in the Premier Division Maidstone finished third.
This was an encouraging performance considering the club
changed their manager before Christmas when another former
player from the Stones' Football League days, Matt Toms,
took over. Toms was in charge again for the following season,
during which Maidstone United were awarded Senior Status
and attempted to win promotion to the Bass Brewers Kent
League. Stones finished the league season as runners-up
to Bearsted to earn elevation before a KCFA appeal hearing
regarding an unplayed match between Bearsted and Snodland
prompted controversial changes to the final league table.
Throughout their
time in the Kent County League Maidstone United were by
far the best supported club. During their last County League
season, their home attendances averaged around 200 with
more than 320 watching a top of the table clash with Snodland
and a reformed club record of 409 attending the Weald of
Kent Charity Cup final played at London Road against Smarden
which the Stones won 6-1.
The 2001/2002
season began a new chapter in the unpredictable history
of Maidstone United, as the club returned to the Kent League
playing their home games at Central Park in Sittingbourne
and appearing in the FA Vase for the first time. The club
secured a three year shirt sponsorhip deal with MIP Pankhurst
Ltd of Maidstone which was valued at £10,000.
The club also
invested in youth football and during their time in the
Kent County League ran four teams at u18, u16, u15 and u14
level under the guidance of experienced youth development
officer Mal Watkins. The future of the club is now brighter
than for many years and the youth sides continue to prove
to be successful. The Club has formed a "Feeder Team
Agreement" with Vinters Football Club, which each season
allows for the transfer of players from Vinters U13s and
U14s levels to MUFC. The relationship within the agreement
is far broader, with the main intention to create a quality
soccer experience for each and every player involved in
both clubs.
The first complete
season as a senior football club brought unbridled success
to The Stones. An experienced Southern League strength squad
was assembled by the newly appointed team manager Jim Ward.
Maidstone's following was the envy of all Kent League (and
many Southern League) clubs, as regular attendances of over
300 fans watched Maidstone home and away. The fantastic
following of supporters were treated to several highlights
during the club's inaugural Kent League season.
The highlights
included a first ever match in the FA Vase, in which The
Stones defeated Hellenic League Carterton Town by 4-1. The
FA Vase run also included the club's first competitive fixture
outside of the county of Kent for almost 10 years, when
Maidstone visited Suffolk based Mildenhall Town in the 2nd
Round. The club's playing fortunes also took a massive upturn
with the return of Stones playing legend Steve Butler. He
returned to the area after leaving his coaching role with
Premier Division Leicester City and inspired the club to
a fantastic season.
With just over
two months of the league season remaining, Maidstone were
in what appeared to be a two-horse race for the runners-up
spot in the league with Deal Town. VCD Athletic were 12
points clear at the top of the table. Come the end of April
it was a different story though. VCD Athletic's form deteriorated
following a two-legged defeat at the hands of Maidstone
in the Kent League Cup Semi-Final. The Stones went on a
long unbeaten run and eventually, on the very last day of
the season were faced with the task of beating Deal Town
at the Charles Sports Ground to secure the championship.
The highest Kent League crowd for many years of 818, saw
Maidstone United win by 3-1 with goals from Jamie Kempster,
Neil Davey and Steve Marshall, to secure the championship
on goal difference from VCD Athletic.
The jubilant
scenes from the championship winning day were repeated a
week later, when The Stones completed the Kent League and
Cup double after defeating Whitstable Town by 2-0 at Folkestone
Invicta's Cheriton Road ground in front of another crowd
of over 800. The only downside to the whole season was the
club's failed attempt to achieve promotion to the Dr Marten's
League Eastern Division.
Season 2002/2003
saw the Kent League newly sponsored by Go Travel. The Stones
again had a very successful season. A reserve team was entered
into Kent League Division One (South) and the Kent Floodlight
League. The season highlight was the return of Maidstone
United to the FA Cup. With the added attraction of being
the focus of the BBC's "Road To Cardiff," The
Stones visited Kent League rivals Ramsgate in the Extra
Prelimnary Round. A record crowd for the round of 747 saw
Richard Sinden kick off the competition, as the teams battled
out a 1-1 draw.
Further glory
and TV exposure followed as Maidstone travelled to Dr Martens
Eastern neighbours Tonbridge Angels in the next round. Another
record crowd for the round of 1,027, saw a Steve Butler
hattrick inspire The Stones to a 3-2 victory. A trip to
Newport on the Isle Of Wight followed in the next round
and a convincing 4-0 victory was achieved over the Dr Martens
Eastern opposition.
A home record
crowd since reformation of 937, saw the club bow out of
the competition in the 2nd Qualifying Round at the hands
of Ryman League Premier Division side Boreham Wood. The
cup run bolstered the clubs coffers to the tune of £9,000
in prize money payments and thanks to the TV coverage from
the BBC, the country was aware that Maidstone United were
back.
In the league,
the club were on top of the table for almost the entire
season. However, a poor run of form in the last five games,
which saw only four draws achieved, handed a title opportunity
to Cray Wanderers. With the late resignation from the league
of Faversham Town, 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
(frome 29 games.) The Stones lost the league title by 0.14
points!!
Silverware was
forthcoming though, as the club won the Kent Senior Trophy
for the first time in it's history with a 3-0 victory over
Cray Wanderers at Chatham Town FC. The League runners-up
spot was also augmented by the addition of the Kent League
Charity Shield following a 3-1 win against Whitstable Town.
For the second year in succession, the club's ambition to
be promoted to the Dr Martens League was thwarted at the
final hurdle.
Maidstone United
will soon be returning to Kent's county town. Mr Bowden-Brown
has a 99-year lease from the Ministry of Defence for land
off James Whatman Way, and Maidstone Borough Council has
loaned the club the money to acquire the site. Maidstone
council approved planning permission in November 2004 and,
since that time, Mr Bowden-Brown has worked tirelessly on
numerous financial and legal requirements. The riverside
stadium, the first phase of which will take a year to complete,
incorporates a main stand, two covered terraces, club house,
changing rooms and parking. It is expected that the new
stadium, which is yet to be named, will be ready for use
during the 2008/09 season .
The Stones were
crowned Kent League champions for the second time in 2006
and secured the league and cup double. Promotion to the
Ryman League Division One South followed and in a season
where the aim was for consolidation, the Stones found themselves
in the play-offs by Christmas and by February they topped
the table. On a dramatic final day of the season, where
one of three clubs could have promoted, the Stones beat
Walton Casuals 2-1, to take the title at the first attempt.
Jubilant scenes followed as captain Sam Tydeman was presented
with the league trophy and the club is focused on making
an impact in the Ryman Premier Division in 2007/08.
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