Much to my great joy and pleasure, over 600 season tickets have already been renewed by early May after the season from hell, says Maidstone United chief executive Bill Williams

MAIDSTONE UNITED chief executive Bill Williams has said that the club have sold 600 season tickets despite losing their Vanarama National League status after finishing bottom of the table.

The Stones suffered the drop after winning nine of their 46 league games and finished on 34 points, six points adrift of Havant & Waterlooville in the table.

Maidstone United did win the Kent Senior Cup after beating their league rivals Bromley 3-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw at Hayes Lane on 16 April.

“There have been half a dozen meetings between the owners of the football club and the management team since we played our last game,” Mr Williams told www.maidstoneunited.co.uk.

“All have been really positive and directed at one thing – the building of a new team.

“The last meeting ended with John Still and Hakan Hayrettin making numerous appointments for next week, with players they’re interested in bringing to the club.

“By this time next week, I expect our team building exercise to be firmly underway.”

Mr Williams revealed that the clubs supporter base are fully behind their club ahead of their return to the second tier of non-league football.

He said:  “When you’re a team or club manager you quite often find yourself isolated and one of the big fears I had at the end of the season was would our supporters, sponsors and advertisers still be on board?

“Much to my great joy and pleasure, over 600 season tickets have already been renewed by early May after the season from hell! Sponsors and advertisers have pledged their continued support.

“To have such a groundswell of support early on is very encouraging. It makes us absolutely determined to work together to get the best team we can, ready for the challenge that starts in August.

“There are some other things in the pipeline too. We’re planning two club seminars during the close season, bringing together representatives from across the club together with supporters to review how everything works, listen to ideas and get everybody pushing in the same direction again.

“Two supporter evenings are being planned. At one we will unveil the new home shirt and the other will be a chance to meet the team and hear about plans for the new season.

“I’ve done many a pre-season, too many to count, but I am really looking forward to these next few weeks and I hope you will do too as we put all of our plans in place.”

Visit Maidstone United’s website: www.maidstoneunited.co.uk