Kentish Football 
If we're not challenging I'm sure my job will be in doubt, says Stones boss Jay Saunders
The Stones ended their 24-year exile from the County Town when they welcomed Brighton & Hove Albion to James Whatman Way last month and their home games have attracted four-figure crowds during their lengthy twelve-match pre-season campaign.
But Saunders, 33, who lives in Bearsted, just cannot wait to get their Ryman League Division One South campaign underway, when Surrey side Walton & Hersham visit on Saturday.
He said: “There’s been a good buzz around the ground at the moment and around the club and living locally everywhere I go everyone wants to talk about it – it’s driving my wife mad mind you!
“It’s good to be a part of it and I’m enjoying every minute of it to be honest.”
Saunders is delighted that a new generation of supporters are flocking through the turnstiles at the £2.6m stadium.
He said: “It’s a sort of a shame it’s skipped a generation. My kids’ didn’t get the chance to see Maidstone like I did as a little one and there’s a lot of people like that. You can see everyone’s enjoying being here. The amount of kids’ we get at the games, the kids’ wait at the side of the tunnel to get autographs from the players.
“Seeing new supporters’ and groups of children going there and watching the game on a Saturday is brilliant.”
Saunders admits he is under pressure to land promotion into the Ryman Premier League at the end of the season.
The Stones are under increasing pressure especially after rivals Dartford have clinched three promotions in six years’ since moving in to Princes Park in November 1996.
“Yes, there’s pressure I suppose if you look at it like that,” admitted Saunders.
“Personally, I’ve always been in football to win league’s and get promoted at the start of the season and nothing’s changed there.
“I think Dartford are a good club to look at and it shows what can be achieved with a new ground and everything, but we’ve got to take one step at a time.
“I know a lot of people are talking that way, but I’m looking forward to the first game on Saturday and making sure we win that and get off to a good start because we didn’t last year.”
The midfielder added: “We’ll set ourselves little targets month by month and look at games coming up and look at targets and hopefully a bigger target at the end of it.”
Saunders is pleased with the way his side’s 12-match pre-season campaign has gone.
He said: “Although it’s enjoyable and getting back involved, we’re at a point now I just want to get it started. There’s nothing better than points being on the line every game and having something to play for.
“We’ve enjoyed it. We’ve played some good stuff but it all means nothing. You can’t beat a League or Cup game when there’s something on the line. The boys are looking forward and raring to get going now.”
Saunders revealed he has received a scouting report on Saturday’s opponents, Walton & Hersham.
He said: “They’ll be a tough side. I’ve had them watched. I’ve just been sent a report on them. I know last year they were good going forward and they can cause you problems. They’ve got a decent centre forward and they had a couple of wingers with a bit of pace.
“They’ll be a decent side. The majority of teams in this league now have improved. I don’t think anyone’s gone backwards and there’s not so much money in the game now. Players are sort of dropping down levels, finding it hard to find clubs and some of the players playing in the Ryman South wouldn’t be a few years’ ago.
“They’ll be a decent side so we have to approach it and make sure we turn up. If we do what we’ve been doing in recent games I’ll be happy and confident we can get three points.
“If we won’t turn up with the right attitude, I’m sure we’ll be in for a tough game.”
Maidstone United have spent £600,000 to install a 3G pitch at their new stadium and Saunders believes that will give his side the advantage at home.
On the subject of the artificial pitch, Saunders said: “It will be interesting to be honest. We’re training on it each week and we’re playing on it so I’d say it’s a little bit of an advantage so we’re used to it.
“It is different to normal 3G pitches. It’s a lot better quality.
“I think it’s going to go one way or another. Teams will either turn up or raise their game or might go the other way and not fancy it.
“It will be interesting to see. We’ve set out a way where we think we can play on it. We will use it and play it as an advantage and hopefully that will work.
“I’m sure it will be the same when we go away and when we play on grass. We’ve not had a lot of games or trained on grass so it will be the other way around when we go to away games.”
Maidstone United’s first game back on grass in the league is their Kent derby away to Justin Luchford’s Whitstable Town side next Tuesday.
Saunders is expecting a tough encounter at Belmont Road, against a side expected to push towards the top half of the table.
“It will be a tough game,” he said. “Justin’s got a good team together down there with a couple of players I like the look off that are down there.
“I’m sure they will be a lot organised. They’ve got plenty of good players down there.
“I’m sure they will be a bit of a force this year and it will be a tough place to go to second game. We went down there last year (at the same stage of the season) and we played well but we didn’t score on the night .
“We didn’t do well enough in our Kent derbies last year and it’s something we’ll be looking to put right, but I’m looking forward to Saturday to make sure we get off to a good start on the opening day and go from there and start worrying about Tuesday.”
The Stones aspirations are simple – to ensure the feel-good factor in coming back home is rewarded with a glorious promotion campaign.
Saunders said: “To be honest, as I said earlier, every manager is in it to get promoted and anyone who says they’re not in it to get promoted in the league – ok you get teams who have just gone up and they want to consolidate.
“Everyone’s in football to win games and win leagues. If we’re not challenging I’m sure my job will be in doubt because it’s a big club now. It’s always been a big club but with our own ground it’s made it an even bigger job.
“I want to get us promoted and I’ll be disappointed if that doesn’t happen.”
Admission prices:
£10 – adults
£7 – concessions (60+ and students)
£4 – under 11-17
£0 – under 11s (when accompanied by a paying adult)
£1 extra – stand seating
Turnstiles open at 1:15pm.
Visit Maidstone United’s website: www.maidstoneunited.co.uk
Coverage: www.kentishfootball.co.uk will be covering this game.
Maidstone United v Walton & Hersham
Ryman League Division One South
Saturday 18th August 2012
Kick Off 3:00pm
at The Gallagher Stadium, James Whatman Way, Maidstone, Kent ME14 1LQ
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