It’s time for the club and us to seek a new direction, says Walker

Monday 08th February 2010

FORMER Maidstone United joint-manager Lloyd Hume has today revealed that he held clear-the-air talks with his disillusioned squad following their 2-0 defeat at Aveley at the weekend, writes Stephen McCartney.

The cash-strapped Ryman Premier League club announced at one o’clock this afternoon that both Hume and Alan Walker had resigned from their roles.

Chairman Paul Bowden-Brown issued the following statement on the club’s official website www.maidstoneunited.co.uk saying, “It was with great regret that I have had to accept the resignation of both Alan and Lloyd, but after a long conversation both managers felt that they had taken the club as far as they could.

“I would like to place on record my sincere thanks to both managers to the wonderful job that they have done over the years in taking our club to this level of football and I wish them every success in the future.”

Back-to-back titles had taken the groundless Stones out of the Kent League and into the Ryman Premier League, but the lack of money, due to numerous postponed games at their shared ground at Homelands Stadium in Ashford, has stretched the club financially.

“It’s down to us to install confidence in the team and the players, which we had in the dressing room after the game on Saturday,” Hume told www.kentishfootball.co.uk before the news of his resignation broke.

“We sat them down and asked everyone’s feeling and what’s going on. It’s not hidden that the players haven’t been paid for five weeks and I think that - amongst other things - is perhaps effecting the team.

“We had a heart-to-heart and cleared the air a bit and hopefully we’ll get the benefit of that on Tuesday.”

Hume added: “I just think there’s a bit of negativity around the club. That’s nobody’s fault. It’s just the circumstances that we find ourselves in.

“I just want to make sure we can concentrate on our football and get some positivity back in the club and that’s what I said on Saturday.

“We need a bit of luck with injuries and suspensions because when we have all of our players fit and on the pitch then we are very strong.

“On Saturday we only had 12 first team players fit and we had a youth team player on the bench and I was on the bench, which is not we want. It’s the situation we’re in but we don’t have the money.”

Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at Aveley clearly upset Hume and the result that has them in fifteenth place in the Ryman Premier League table, with 29 points (8 wins and 5 draws) from 23 games.

The Stones are just three points above the relegation zone - or 10 points adrift of the final play-off berth.

“We didn’t perform well to be honest,” fumed Hume. “I’m very disappointed with that performance.

“We started poorly, conceded a weak goal and then we got back into the game. We created a couple of chances but in the second half we conceded another weak goal, which I was disappointed about.

“At the moment, we look like a bit of a wounded animal when we’re playing and the players need to pick themselves up.”

The timing of the double resignation couldn’t come at a worse time for the club, as Maidstone United play three games this week.

A three-man board, consisting of the chairman, Richard Bowden-Brown and Bill Williams, were due to meet this afternoon to discuss their options and a formal statement will be issued in due course.

Walker told www.kentishfootball.co.uk : “We felt we took the Stones as far as we can, given the club’s current problems,” said Walker, a KCFA coach.

“It’s time for the club and us to seek a new direction.”

Looking to the future, Walker added, ““There’s nothing in the pipeline but we have not lost the appetite for the game or managing and would like to get back in as soon as possible and will weigh up any options as and when they become available.”

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

Maidstone United v Hendon

Ryman Premier League

Tuesday 9th February 2010

Kick Off 7:45pm

At Homelands Stadium, Ashford Road, Kingsnorth, Ashford, Kent TN26 1NJ