Stones entice Pettit and Richmond back to the club

Tuesday 01st June 2010
MAIDSTONE UNITED have today unveiled two more summer signings as manager Peter Nott prepares for his first full season in charge of the club, writes Stephen McCartney.



Midfielders Simon Pettit, 28, and Colin Richmond, both return to the club, following spells at Ryman League Division One South sides Ramsgate and Sittingbourne respectively.

Pettit has joined the Stones from Ramsgate after spending most of his playing career with them apart from a brief spell with Maidstone United under Jim Ward’s reign in the Kent League.

Richmond has been an instrumental player in the heart of Sittingbourne’s midfield, winning both the supporters and players’ player of the year awards at Bourne Park.

Richmond is a very intelligent player with an excellent range of passes and he also chips in with his fair share of goals.

“I think both of them are good boys and I think both of them have a genuine desire to want to play for the club,” Nott told www.kentishfootball.co.uk.

“It was an area that I felt we needed strengthening, the centre of the midfield.  We never really got it quite right last year and I think the two boys, Simon brings a lot of energy, but also a wealth of experience to us as well.  He’s good in the air in that area as well.

“Colin was a player that we had playing for us at Ryman Youth level, wasn’t really attracting the interest of the first team management at the time and in fairness he was only eighteen.

“He went to play for Sittingbourne where he’s father was reserve team manager there as well and he had two years of Ryman experience under his belt.

“We’ve kept a close eye on him and we feel it’s right for him to come back and he wants to prove himself at Ryman Premier and I think it’s a good match for both of us.”

The Stones have also strengthened their first team coaching team with the appointment of UEFA B Licensed Coach Steve Nolan. 

Nolan lives in Bearsted and currently coaches at Gillingham and has previously been first team coach / assistant manager at Dover Athletic, Sittingbourne and Ashford Town mainly working with Clive Walker. 

“Steve replied to the advert that was placed on your website,” added Nott.  “We had a good number of applicants.

“We went for Steve because he lives in Maidstone, which we feel that’s important, he has that affinity for the club.

“He’s had experience with Ryman level with Ashford, Dover and Sittingbourne, so he’s had experience of coaching at that level.”

Nott insists the club will have a more professional approach next season and will train twice a week.

“We’ve got two venues, we’ve finalised one in Gillingham on Tuesday’s on the 3G Pitch and we’ve got a choice of two on a Thursday, one’s a grass area and the other’s a 3G pitch," said Nott.

“That, to me, is paramount on us moving forward.  You can’t play at this level without training areas on Tuesday’s and Thursday’s and that will be a big improvement for us to have that.”

A club statement added: “Steve is a great addition to our existing management team and will be tasked to deliver quality training sessions to enhance both the team's overall level of fitness and specific area's of play that need improving.

“We are also in the final stages of negotiations with a couple of other new players that we have targetted and we hope to make further announcements very shortly. 

“The majority of last seasons squad have also put pen to paper however as we still have some players who are considering our revised offers we will bring you news as soon as all discussions have been finalised.”

One player who will benefit from training will be transfer listed forward Danny Hockton.

“We’ve had a couple of tentative enquiries for Danny,” revealed Nott.

“At this stage Danny will come back very much a Maidstone player.  Danny will benefit from a very good pre-season and regular training, that he was sadly lacking.

“Danny remains on the transfer list at this stage, but he will report back to pre-season and be a part of the squad.”

Meanwhile, Stephen and Efe Sodje from The Sodje Sports Foundation have presented a selection of football equipment to Maidstone United’s Pebbles Club.

Established in 2009 by brothers Stephen and Bright Sodje, the Sodje Sport Foundation is a sports development charity operating internationally. 

Since its introduction, the Sodje Sports Foundation has worked tirelessly to provide support to children and young people through the development of sport programmes and by donating sports equipment to schools, and grassroots football teams using football and other sports to engage children and young people.

Stones chairman Paul Bowden-Brown presented Stephen and Efe with a set of old first team kit, which the foundation will use in its work abroad. Further kit donations will be made by the club in the coming months.

Stephen and Efe also helped Maidstone United manager Peter Nott to present medals to the club’s Pebbles players to celebrate the past year. 

The Pebbles Club is on every Saturday from 9am to 10am at Astor Sports and Leisure Complex, Oakwood Park, Maidstone. It is for young Stones aged from four to seven years. Each session costs £2 and offers football coaching in a fun and friendly environment. For more information, telephone Richard Edwards on 07835 421336. 

For more information about the Sodje Sports Foundation, log on to www.sodjesportsfoundation.com

Article courtesy of www.maidstoneunited.co.uk