Lashings Cricket Club keen to buy Maidstone FC

Paul Bowden-Brown, Maidstone United chairman

Bowden-Brown has been at the Maidstone helm for more than 15 years

Lashings Cricket Club are attempting to buy Ryman League side Maidstone United.

The cricket club, who are associated with a restaurant in the town, take a team packed with former international players around the world.

But former Maidstone player Glenn Aitken, who is working on the bid for Lashings, thinks they can also bring success to the football club.

"There is a confidence that we can take the club forward," Aitken told BBC Radio Kent.

"The chairman of Maidstone (Paul Bowden-Brown) is ready to stand aside, he has provided a lot of information for Lashings to consider it as a business operation and we are looking at the books, and talking to people around the club."

If only 50% of the people who claim to be Maidstone supporters came to the games there would be a good crowd and there is no doubt at the club being successful and moving forward

Glenn Aitken

Aitken, who was previously the chief executive of Gravesend and Northfleet, played for Maidstone between 1978 and 1981 in what was then the Alliance Premier League.

And he added that he would like the club to return to the successful days the side enjoyed when he played for Maidstone.

"We believe we can bring a lot of the lessons learned on the cricket side," Aitken said. "There is every chance we can take that knowledge into the football side.

"I was at an event at another of my former clubs recently, Wimbledon, and they have built themselves back to Conference level and I was surprised at the depth of support going back years and years.

"There is that same depth of support for Maidstone, albeit passive because the club doesn't play in the town.

"If only 50% of the people who claim to be Maidstone supporters came to the games there would be a good crowd and there is no doubt at the club being successful and moving forward.

"I remember when I played in a sell-out against Charlton in the FA Cup and the club went onto greater glories in the league. I am sure it can be reunited."