We're confident of causing an upset, insists Hume

Thursday 10th December 2009

MAIDSTONE UNITED joint-manager Lloyd Hume calls upon the club’s stay-away fans to guide his side towards a FA Carlsberg Trophy giant killing at the weekend, writes Stephen McCartney.

Subject to pitch conditions at their shared Homelands base in Ashford, the Stones welcome troubled Blue Square Premier side Histon in the first round proper.

The Cambridgeshire side are presently in 12th place in the table - two divisions above the Stones - but arrive in Kent with issues off the pitch to contend with.

BBC Radio Cambridgeshire alleged earlier in the week that manager Steve Fallon has been suspended after a dispute over a restructuring of the club’s wage bill.

Chairman Tony Roach alleged Fallon was asked to look at reducing four players' wages but "chose to tell the whole team that they were going to be released".

Mr Roach added: "This caused obvious disruption amongst the players and their agents."

When asked if Fallon's position had become untenable, he responded: "Not necessarily. But if Steve Fallon can't communicate with me, then he's making his job very difficult.

"I'm not knocking Steve as he's done an amazing job at Histon over the years, but we'll have the meeting next week and see if anything can be resolved."

A director at the club, Mr Roach took over as chairman of the Stutes in November after Gareth Baldwin stepped down from the position after 17 years.

After taking the helm, he admitted Histon's finances were in "a very distressed situation" and that the club had come close to going into administration.

Histon clinched a best ever finish of third in the Blue Square Premier last season, but lost out to Torquay in the play-off semi-finals.

But despite their success on the pitch, they have struggled to attract crowds large enough to sustain a Conference-level wage budget.

Fallon has been in charge of the team since 1999, and a good recent run of results has taken them to their current position of 12th in the Blue Square Premier.

And Hume hopes Histon’s issues will effect them as he bids to cause a giant-killing against a club that knocked fallen giants Leeds United out of the FA Cup in the second round last season.

“It’s a massive game for the club and just generally it’s a big game as we’re playing a team from the Conference Premier that are in the top half,” Hume told www.kentishfootball.co.uk.

“Whilst they’ve got their problems, in the last ten games they’ve only been beaten once, so they’re going to be a very strong proposition.”

When asked if this was the best time to face Histon, Hume replied, “Well, it can work one or two ways that can’t it? It can fire the team on because they want to back their manager, which I’m sure they do because he’s done a fantastic job there, but equally it can go the other way and they may drop their standards.

“But I very much doubt it, they’re a professional outfit and they’re doing very well. They’ve not been beaten in their last four games, which shows they’re tough opposition.”

The Stones joint-boss has told fans to be their twelve man.

He said: “I’m under no illusions, if we’re away from home against Histon we’ll have a huge number of fans there that would be very vocal and get behind us.

“I urge them to do that at the home game. It’s a massive game for the club, there’s a lot of money for the club to earn and it’s a good advert to see how far we’ve come as a club.”

Hume added: “We’re going into the game confident that we can cause an upset - if we play to our maximum potential and Histon drop their standards and that’s what we’re hoping will happen.”

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

Maidstone United v Histon

FA Carlsberg Trophy First Round

Saturday 12th December 2009

Kick Off 3:00pm

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