Fans’ joy as Stones come home
After some 11 years away from the county town, Maidstone United have played their first match at their new stadium in James WhatmanWay. A £1.6million fundraising project by owners Oliver Ash and Terry Casey has delivered a 3,000- capacity stadium in the heart of town, making the Stones one of the first English clubs to build a new stadium with a third-generation (3G) surface. NEIL NIXON was present to savour a momentous day for the Isthmian League Division One South club
MAIDSTONE United’s home support happily trooped away from the inaugural match at Gallagher Stadium on July 14, feeling a great deal had been achieved, despite pouring rain and a comprehensive 5-0 defeat by Brighton and Hove Albion. The pre-match announce-
ments featuring the words “Gallagher Stadium, home of Maidstone United” went down very well with the capacity crowd of 2,226.
David Prosser was one of sev-
eral fans seeking out the grand- stand seat he had sponsored. “Maidstone United FC will
be a more real entity with a home in the town whose name it wears on its badge,” he said. “There is a definite sense of be- longing among the fans, who have followed the club all round Kent, just waiting for the day when it comes home. “No matter how bad things
got, these supporters and their fundraising activities made the whole thing worthwhile.” David’s point was supported
by the sight of a small army of Maidstone shirts trooping out of pubs in the town and head- ing for the 3pm kick-off, some- thing not seen in the town for almost a quarter of a century. Another supporter, David Us- borne, said: “This is a great day for the town and the club, foot- ball can bring prosperity here.” The club had mad sure the
first gamewas a real celebration; a movemirrored by fans like Ian Packer, a supporter for 12 years, who dressed as a penguin with a commemorative message scrawled on his white front. Perhaps the best news for the
club was the presence of somany children, some attending their first Maidstone United game. Once the game started, stories
were swapped amongst fans of a freezing night at a Kent League Cup game at Sitting- bourne in November 2006, with a crowd of less than 100. The hope among the home support is that such low atten- dances and such footballing lows will now be consigned to history.
Above: David Prosser with the seat he sponsored. Below, Abi- gail, five, gets her first glimpse of the new ground Left, Thir- teen-year-old Amy Browne gets a hug from MUFC mascot Iggy
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