Defender George Fowler has committed to remain with Maidstone for the 2024/25 season.
Fowler has become an integral part of the Stones’ squad in recent years, having joined the club in October 2021.
After making the last-16 of the FA Cup - beating boyhood club Ipswich along the way \- and then missing out on promotion as they lost in the National League South play-off semi-final, the 26-year-old is hoping for more success with Maidstone.
“I think it’s obvious that this is the best form of my career,” he told the club’s media team. “I’m really enjoying myself.
“We’ve had a little bit of a roller-coaster few years, winning National League South, coming straight back down and then the FA Cup run but I’m hoping we can continue the upward trend and create a lot more memories next season.
“It was a no-brainer to come back and put pen to paper.
“I’m glad it’s all sorted.”
George Elokobi’s side were edged out 2-1 in their final-four game at Worthing’s Woodside Road last month after they had beaten Aveley in their play-off eliminator at the Gallagher Stadium by the same scoreline.
Fowler said: “It was a season of dreams in terms of the memories that we created with the FA Cup run and even (getting to) the semi-finals of the play-offs.
“If anyone was being honest at the start of the season, if you were offered the play-offs and the Fifth Round of the FA Cup, you would have bitten someone’s hand off at that opportunity.
“At the same time, although no one necessarily expected it, as a player and as a team, we knew the standards the gaffer (Elokobi) and Craig (Fagan, his assistant) instilled in training.
“We know the belief they put in us as a group and we know that we would get an element of success and achievement during the season - not necessarily the FA Cup Fifth Round - but we knew we were capable of something like that as a group.
“They’re incredible memories and, hopefully, there’s more to come.”
Fowler started his footballing career at Ipswich, who now have been promoted to the Premier League.
He admitted beating the Tractors Boys 2-1 through goals from Lamar Reynolds and Sam Corne in late January was a personal memory which will be difficult to top.
“My family and friends still all live that way,” he explained.
“I remember, when they did the draw, the boys weren’t necessarily too sure how to react. Everyone was hoping for a Premier League team.
“If it wasn’t a Premier League team, I remember saying at the time Ipswich was the next best thing for me.
“To go there and to win in the fashion that we did, that was unbelievable. It’s going to be tough to top that on a personal note.
“I’m still cherishing those memories.”
Among Fowler’s 2024/25 team-mates at Maidstone will be summer recruit defender Temi Eweka.
