Ryman One South Champions: Hume praises all of his "eleven captains" - EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Maidstone United joint-manager Lloyd Hume praised his team for securing back-to-back titles at Walton Casuals yesterday, writes Stephen McCartney.

Their 2-1 win on the final day of the Ryman League Division One South season has seen the Stones go from playing Kent League football to the Ryman Premier League in just two seasons - emulating what Ramsgate achieved 12 months ago.

“I said at the start of the year it’ll be very hard to emulate that and we’ve done it, so I’m very pleased,” a proud Hume said EXCLUSIVELY to www.kentishfootball.co.uk yesterday.

“To be honest I still look back on the season and I’m disappointed with the last five to six weeks because I think we should have had the title wrapped up a long time ago.

“These games could have been occasions but it wouldn’t have been as much fun and we’ll have a much better nice out because of it!”

Two headed goals from defender Ryan Royston, 25, ensured the Stones will be playing Folkestone Invicta, Margate, Ramsgate, Tonbridge Angels - and hopefully Dover Athletic (as play-off winners) next season.

“It’s a massive day for the club,” admitted Hume. “Everyone sorts of says “well done!” and shaking our hands but it’s not us that should get the credit, it’s the players. All season they’ve been fantastic.

“It’s been well publicised that around Christmas time we had a (Budget) cut within Maidstone because the impetus needs to be on the ground and that seemed to spur the players on.

“They’ve been absolutely amazing again. They’ve gone through brick walls again for us this season.

“They’ve won games that they’re not entitled to win on paper and they came here today, there was believe in the team and although they scored, I believed we’d score again and we did - I’m delighted for them.

“There’s been a lot of big performances from people this season - Ryan’s been fantastic again today.

Hume explained why the Stones spent the twenty minutes sitting back on their lead and inviting pressure, although they could have added to the score line on the break.

“It was nerve racking at the end (but) we knew what was going to happen,” he explained.

“Rather than take the risk we did at Ashford, we went with three centre halves, went with one up front and sucked a bit of pressure.

“It’s always going to be nervy on the last day of the season but all I cared today was three points and that’s exactly what we got!”

Skipper Sam Tydeman was inspirational throughout and managed to get his hands on the trophy at around 5:30pm after the Ryman League presented Hampton & Richmond Borough the Premier Division trophy five miles down the road.

“A great performance from the boys,” he said afterwards. “We really grafted, we should of scored more in the end.

“We made it a lot harder for ourselves but a great team performance - it shows the spirit that we’ve got (and) we deserved everything we got again.”

The 27-year-old praised the team ethic within the club.

He said: “It’s not just the two managers, it’s Scruffy (Chris Hiscock), Tim (physio Tim Warden). We all work for each other, all the team.

“Obviously we get our stick when we deserve it, we get a lot of praise when we deserve that as well.

“But it’s all a team effort and we were magnificent this season.”

Hume added: “You picked Sam for man-of-the-match and I know Ryan’s got two goals and he’s been fantastic, but I think there’s eleven captains our there today.

“Sam deserves a mention because he hasn’t had the best of times lately on the pitch in the last five to six games and today I thought he was absolutely outstanding.

“I asked him to be a captain and put his foot on the ball and he did that a lot for us and passed it for us - so I was delighted for him.”

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