Maidstone United Football Club, nicknamed “The Stones,” is a non-league football club based in Maidstone, Kent.
Established in 1992, they currently compete in the Vanarama National League South, which is part of the sixth tier of English football. The team calls Gallagher Stadium their home ground.
Originally founded in 1897, the club was reformed in 1992 as Maidstone Invicta, led by Chairman Paul Bowden-Brown. They swiftly climbed the ranks in the Kent County League, winning the Division Four title in their first season (1993/94) and achieving subsequent promotions. A key figure in their rise was manager Jason Lillis, the only player to have been in both the first and last Football League games of the original Maidstone United.
In the early 2000s, the club marked a return to prominence, winning the Kent League and Cup double in 2001/2002 and 2006, and also making a comeback in the FA Cup. Despite a setback in 2011 with relegation, the club’s fortunes revived with the construction of the Gallagher Stadium in Maidstone. This period was marked by significant achievements, including promotions to the Ryman Premier Division and the Vanarama National League South, highlighted by a memorable victory over Stevenage Town in the FA Cup.
The 2015/16 season was notable for another FA Cup appearance and a dramatic promotion to the National League after defeating Ebbsfleet United. Following three years in the National League, the club was relegated but bounced back as National League South champions in 2022. As of 2023/24, Maidstone United is set for another season in the National League South.