21st December 2009 19:30
 Maidstone
United Football Club have unveiled a 49,600-seater stadium.
It was built in just nine months but not a blade of
grass was disturbed during construction. That’s
because it is a virtual stadium – the brainchild
of a couple of supporters who want their club back in
Kent’s county town after an absence of more than
20 years.
The online stadium available at www.maidstoneunitedvirtualstadium.com
is believed to be a world first. Seats are selling for
£6.99 with £5 from each sale going to the
Bring the Stones Home appeal – a supporter-led
fundraising campaign.
The virtual stadium has four bars, all named after former
players, including ex-England manager Peter Taylor.
Each bar features an exclusive interview available only
to stadium members.
Members can also access a virtual tea bar where they
can pop in for a chat with others and a games room boasting
a selection of football challenges. They can also search
for people in the stadium by name or the team they support.
Maidstone United fans Jamie Barber and Steve Savage
have spent many hours of their spare time designing
and building the website.
Jamie Barber said: “This is a real and tangible
way to raise a substantial proportion of money for the
new stadium. It gives the club’s supporters and
anyone who loves the game the chance to be part of football
and internet history. I hope work will start on the
real stadium as milestones are reached on the virtual
version.
“If a couple from Essex can mastermind the Christmas
number one from their living room, I’m hoping we
can achieve the Stones' homecoming with this unique
concept.”
Every member of the virtual stadium has multiple chances
to win £1,000. A prize draw will be held for every
1,000 seats sold. They can also get commission for referring
other people to the site.
Seats cost £6.99.
£5 goes to the fundraising campaign. The remainder
goes on the referral and prize draw pots and 49p to
Google Checkout who provide the online payment system.
21st December 2009 14:00
Tomorrow's FA Trophy First Round match against
Histon has been postponed.
The pitch is frozen and covered in snow. The match
has been rescheduled to Tuesday 5 January. Kick off
19:45.
The next match is on Boxing Day at Margate at The Homelands.
Kick off 15:00.
15th December 2009 13:30
Tonight's FA Trophy First Round match against Histon
has been postponed.
A pitch inspection raised concerns of a frozen pitch
later this evening.
The match has been rescheduled to Tuesday 22 December.
Kick off 19:45.
14th December 2009 19:45
There will be a pitch inspection ahead of Maidstone
United's FA Trophy First Round match against Histon
tomorrow.
The inspection will take place around lunchtime. There
will be updates on the website and on our Twitter page.
12th December 2009 16:55
Maidstone United's FA Trophy First Round match
against Histon will take place on Tuesday evening, kick
off 19:45.
Club chairman Paul Bowden-Brown has expressed his disappointment
at today's postponement. He said:
"May I take this opportunity to apologise
for the postponement of the match. I share the disappointment
and frustration of many.
"A lot of effort went in to preparing the
pitch during the week by the Ashford groundsman Steve
and their club officials. So much so I was not expecting
a pitch inspection. However, a very heavy downpour
in Ashford this morning was an unexpected set back.
"Ashford's groundsman and members of the
club's committee were joined by some of our staff
and supporters to work on the pitch when the rain
stopped this morning.
"We notified the FA and the match officials
of the weather before 10 o'clock this morning, as
per the rules of the competition. But due to Histon
leaving at 10, the FA suggested that we await the
arrival of the match referee. The officials inspected
the pitch when they arrived and said that despite
our best efforts the pitch was not playable. They
cited the safety of players and officials as the main
reason for the postponement.
"This was a massive blow. Everyone had work
so hard and believed that in the time before kick
off more work could have been done on the pitch.
"By that time players, officials and supporters
were arriving and others en-route. We immediately
started spreading the word through the website, local
radio and word of mouth.
"The match has been rescheduled for Tuesday
evening. I am very hopeful the weather is on our side.
I've already had to pay out for the match officials
and will have to pay for Histon's team coach this
afternoon and again on Tuesday.
"May I thank everyone for their understanding.
Weather permitting; I do hope you will come along
on Tuesday. Your chairman and team need your support."
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