Flattered to be fans’ favourite
Stuart Lewis can’t believe he’s been voted supporters’ player-of-the-year after only three months at Maidstone.
Midfielder Lewis picked up the same award from Ebbsfleet fans last season but fell out of favour at Stonebridge Road and joined United at the end of January.
He had a huge impact as Jay Saunders’ side climbed away from National League danger and it was announced last Saturday he will be staying on next season.
Fans loved his all-action game and his will-to-win but the last thing Lewis expected was an award.
He said: “When I heard my name it did surprise me and it’s a proud day to win it after coming in when I did.
“It’s a massive achievement for me personally and my mum and dad are over the moon. The supporters have been different class with me. I’ve said that before but this sums it up really.
“Last year at Ebbsfleet there were a
Lewis said weeks ago he wanted to be at Maidstone next season and, with his Ebbsfleet contract running out, he’s agreed a deal at the Gallagher.
He said: “When you get a feeling at a club, I think sometimes you’ve got to weigh that up because how they think of me here and how I’ve played has shown that.
“I’ve gone that extra little bit for them and they’ve done a lot for me – I could have languished in Ebbsfleet’s stands.
“Jay Saunders, he’s been different class. He’s given me that freedom to go and play and really believed in me when he could have said ‘I’m not going to take him’.”
A year ago it was despair for Lewis as Maidstone beat his Fleet side on penalties in the National League South play-off final.
He could never have imagined swapping Ebbsfleet for Stones back then.
Lewis said: “If you’d said to me on that Saturday evening when we lost the play-off final, ‘Stu, you’re going to be supporters’ player-of-the-year at Maidstone next year’ I’d have laughed but I am and here we are – it’s a great achievement.”
Lewis wants Maidstone to follow the professionalism of National League champions Lincoln next term. Going fulltime gives them the chance to step up training and it’s important they make it count.
Lewis said: “It’s a tough league but if we get the right recruitment, the right people and the right atmosphere, like we’ve had the last three or four months, I don’t see any reason why we can’t have a successful season.
“We’ve got to say, ‘ OK, we’ve been brilliant the last three or four years, we’ve had promotion after promotion, but now we’re going to the next level’.
“We’ve got to train harder, we’ve got to run harder than anyone else and I think we’ve done that the last three months but training in the mornings, that’s where people like Lincoln have had their success because they’re on it every day.”