Still reunion key for Nana
“A club who have only known success” ran the headline of the 1971 Maidstone Gazette feature from which this picture comes. Maidstone Rangers, founded in 1964-65, had won three consecutive promotions as champions before winning the Premier Division of the Maidstone & District League The chance to play for John Still again was a big attraction for Maidstone new boy Nana Kyei.
Kyei worked under Still at Barnet last season and jumped at the chance to link up with old boss after leaving the Bees. Still moved quickly after Barnet announced they were releasing the winger and, with his contract up, the deal was confirmed last week.
Kyei, 21, said: “When I got let go, John gave me the call to say come down and play for Maidstone, and I was delighted because I know what he’s like and I like to work with him.
“He’s brilliant. You look at his track record with all the players he’s worked with who’ve gone on to higher levels.
“It just shows what he can do for young players to help them to kick on with their careers.
“It’s a great opportunity to work with him and I also heard about the club and the fan base.
“At this level it’s one of the biggest clubs so that was another motivation but obviously John was a big factor.
“I’d been at Barnet since I was 13. I was surprised they let me go but it happens in 1967-68. That was only a beginning: by the end of the 1980s, they’d won it 13 times. In the centre of the picture at the back is former Stones inside-right Dave Moorekite, while the imposing centre-back at top left is none other than today’s Maidstone United co-owner, Terry Casey. in football. I’ve just got to get my head down and try and do as well as I can for Maidstone. Hopefully we have a good season.
“There’s some good clubs that have come down and some that were in the league already but we can’t worry about that. “We have to focus on us and do the best we can.
“We’ll take it one game at a time and try and finish as high as we can.” Maidstone’s new squad are still getting to know each other but Kyei has settled in quickly.
He said: “Everyone’s been really welcoming.
“It’s a good group of boys and we’ve got a good mix of youth and experience. “George Elokobi has played as high as you can go and he’s helping the younger players settle in a lot.
“We’ve got players who’ve come from lower levels and it’s their first time being full-time, so it’s good the experienced guys are helping them out.
“Everyone’s just trying to do the best they can.”