Stones appose trophy presentation timing

Monday 24th April 2006

Football is a very emotional game. You go through the entire season following a team through the agony and ecstasy, booking time of work to watch them play at god forsaken places midweek, and when they’re successful it leaves you beaming with pride, writes Stephen McCartney.
Take last Saturday for instance. It was the final day of the Kentish Observer League season and two sides had a chance of winning the title.

Beckenham Town and Maidstone United went into the final day of an exciting season – nine league games unbeaten.

Both sides play contrasting – but affective – styles of football and went into the day with a chance of winning the title as they were both level on 69 points but Beckenham had by far the superior goal difference.

Ever since the two sides played out a 1-1 draw at Bourne Park in March, in front of the league’s highest crowd of the season, Stones manager Lloyd Hume was expecting his rivals to slip up. They didn’t. Until the final day of the season that is.

Hume pointed out that Erith & Belvedere would be the side to take points of Beckenham Town and the Stones would comfortably beat bottom of the table Sevenoaks Town.

The sun, warm temperatures and a crowd of 526 greeted Maidstone United at Greatness Park. Twenty-one miles away in Welling, Erith & Belvedere took on Beckenham Town.

It might have been the fact that it was warmer than usual but at about 20 minutes before kick-off I felt the need of a Nurofen as a headache came my way.

It must have been the tension I was feeling. God knows how the Maidstone fans were feeling!

News filtered through that the Deres were awarded an early penalty. Then we were told that Leon Braithwaite had his spot kick saved by Rob Tolfrey.

Maidstone were 1-0 up at the time, and by half-time were 2-0 up and the Stones had done their part of the deal. As we know they went on to win the game comfortably 4-0.

Stones secretary Darren Lovell told me that Erith & Belvedere had scored. Seconds later, a huge roar erupted around the Greatness Park ground. Hume knew from his fans reaction that Beckenham were losing.

Minutes later fans were feeling anxiety as Beckenham equalised but the jubilation at the final whistle, and with Beckenham not winning, was something that you only witness on these special days, title deciders, cup finals and the like.

But where was the trophy? Well, 21 miles away! All it needed was someone to make that 21 mile dash from Welling to Sevenoaks. A 30 minute car ride to present the trophy to the waiting Maidstone players and in front of their jubilant fans.

Kent League officials have stated this week that the silverware will be presented to the Stones players 30 minutes BEFORE their Kent League Cup Final against VCD Athletic at Folkestone Invicta’s Buzzlines Stadium in Cheriton Road on Saturday.

Does that make any sense? Not according to Maidstone United chairman Mr Paul Bowden-Brown.

“I have notified the League that neither I or the club will accept a presentation before the match due to the match preparation,” he told www.smtwtgh.co.uk

“We have asked that the cup final presentation takes place first and then the League.

”I hope that will be acceptable to the supporters, be assured there is no way we will accept any alteration to this request.”

Mr Bowden-Brown, who had masterminded the Stones return to the County Town, which is expected in 2007, praised the club’s faithful after he was stampeded as they celebrated – without a trophy – on the Greatness Park pitch.

“Finally as I was caught out on Saturday standing on my own away from the celebrations, and many people wondered why, I would like to explain my thoughts and reasoning,” he said.

”Winning the League on the day is always down to the players, management and supporters to celebrate. Other more senior people within a club such as Chairman although naturally elated must not take away their glory.

”To be honest the quietness of that time alone I might add it was only about 60 seconds until someone noticed me and then started a stampede towards me, allowed me to personal reflect on the achievement of the club since I took over.

”It was a very special day for the supporters, players come and go, true supporters come pay their money weekly and take the good with the bad.

”We are very lucky at this club with the type of supporters, unlike others, they enjoy the banter and if the disagree with something they make their wishes known, naturally they may not be fully aware of all the facts but be assured notice is taken, and if I feel that they may be correct I will consider the facts.

”But the main factor is that they are all true supporters of Maidstone United Football Club, they do not have to be supporters of me.

”I will always work and operate to ensure that Maidstone United Football Club does come home to a new stadium, and by doing this allow our old and new supporters to join us on a Saturday afternoon and we shall continue to rise through the Pyramid with the required squad, and more importantly make sure that this Club is pushed to the forefront of our Towns history.

”My heart felt thanks go to all those supporters young and old who made my day when I saw them celebrating it proved I must have done something right, in a year when we heard that at long last we had the keys to the new ground, won the league as Champions and in another Cup Final. I personally thank you all.”

Can you imagine Jimmy Strouts being presented the Kent League championship crown at 2:30pm whilst doing the warm up. Celebrating and then focusing on beating VCD Athletic……

Let’s have some common sense here.