The new owners of Maidstone United say they hope the club will be playing in the town again within 18 months.

Oliver Ash, who with Terry Casey has bought out Paul Bowden-Brown, told BBC Radio Kent: "If we can't achieve that we haven't done anything.

"It's got to happen in the next 12-to-18 months. Each month in Ashford is difficult for everybody."

The Stones have not played senior football in Maidstone since 1988, and now play their home games in Ashford.

The takeover of the Ryman Premier Division's bottom club was completed on Friday after months of negotiation.

Ash and Casey are 50% shareholders while Bill Williams has taken the role as chief executive.

Ash, who is also a director and shareholder of French Top 14 rugby club Brive, said: "You don't make money out of football clubs, or rugby clubs. Terry is a lifelong supporter, I've been here for three years.

"It's the challenge of making it a properly run business where income matches cost, and the attraction of doing something for a club with a strong and enthusiastic supporter base with so many teams.

"We both run our own businesses and we have a similar approach to the football club," he said.

Since Maidstone moved out of the town 22 years ago they played at Dartford's former ground, Watling Street, in their football league days and have ground shared at Sittingbourne and Ashford since.

Ash is also keen to see the Stones rise back up through the football pyramid, bringing Conference football back to Maidstone.

"Maidstone is a town of 140,000 people and should be able to support a club of conference level if we get the ground back in Maidstone. That would be a fantastic achievement anyway," he added.

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