Paul Fennessy

SAM BONE could not be happier right now.

The joy is palpable in his voice as he recalls the events of last weekend to The 42.

The 25-year-old defender, who spent the first six years of his senior career playing in the League of Ireland, starred in the biggest shock of the FA Cup third round.

Bone completed 90 minutes at centre-back for Maidstone United, a sixth-tier side who are the lowest-ranked team left in the competition, last Saturday at Gallagher Stadium, which has a capacity of a little over 4,000.

They earned a sensational 1-0 victory over Stevenage, a team three divisions above them, who are seventh in League One as it stands.

“It’s difficult, even now, to describe the way I’m feeling,” he says. “I’m just still on top of the world.

“It’s such a monumental achievement for the club. When the FA Cup started, it was something that I visualised and dreamed of, but never in a million years did I think I’d be in this position.

“It was a special moment for myself, the family, the club, everyone, it’s just incredible.”

We are speaking on the morning after another important game. Maidstone beat rivals Dartford 2-1 on Tuesday to move up to third place in the National League South.

This boost to their promotion hopes continued a memorable few days for Bone, who says an aggressive start was key to their shock win at the weekend.

“A tackle, a good pass, a shot on goal, gets the crowd going and we felt the energy. We also knew how big of an achievement it would be if we’d won. And that was it then. The first half, we started so well, that momentum took us into the whole game.”

Sam Corne successfully converted a penalty in first-half stoppage time to give the hosts something to hang onto.

Maidstone survived a couple of scares after the break as they managed to hold on for a famous victory.

There were ecstatic scenes at full-time — countless fans invaded the pitch, with Bone running over to his family in the players’ area amid the chaos.

“I managed to grab my cousins, they came onto the pitch, my auntie came on, and in the middle of nowhere during the celebrations, I saw my mum and my mum started crying, which made me bloody cry as well, which was a nightmare. I started crying. It was just the most amazing thing ever.

“Before this interview, I was watching a video of the celebrations. I’m a little bit emotional because it’s just incredible to spend that moment with my family and my friends. It was so special.”

Given what they have achieved so far, it would be foolish to dismiss Maidstone’s chances of progressing in the fourth round.

They may not have secured a dream tie against a big Premier League side, but facing an Ipswich Town team who are second in the Championship at Portman Road will be their biggest challenge yet.

Already though, they have come through some tricky tests. Maidstone began their cup campaign on 16 September, beating ninth-tier Steyning Town 4-1 in front of just over 1,000 people.

A crowd of a little over 500 watched Bone and co win another tricky away fixture against seventh-tier Winchester City 2-0 two weeks later.

Maidstone then overcame National League South rivals Torquay United 2-0 on the road on 14 October to seal a place in the first round proper. 

Beating Chesham United, who are a division below them, 2-0 away meant they earned a home tie for the first time in the competition.

The subsequent 2-1 win over fourth-tier Barrow was the first major upset they pulled off.

Maidstone United's Sam Bone (right) and Stevenage's Louis Thompson battle for the ball during the Emirates FA Cup Third Round match at the Gallagher Stadium. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

So when they take to the field against the Tractor Boys later this month in what is set to be the biggest attendance they have played in front of this season by a considerable distance, it will be Maidstone’s seventh match in the competition compared to Ipswich’s second.

“Hopefully, we get TV,” Bone adds. “Again, I’ll be able then to have that ticked off the bucket list, play on BBC or ITV, for my family who can’t make it — my grandparents who live in Cyprus, it’d be great for them to watch it.”

Maidstone are coached by Cameroon-born George Elokobi, the 37-year-old manager who previously had a long career as a player in English football, including three seasons in the Premier League with Wolves.

He came into the club during a difficult period last January, just before Bone’s arrival.

To say the player’s start to life in English football didn’t go according to plan would be putting it mildly. Bone had to wait until the season after he joined to secure a first league win.

A 2-1 victory in their league opener against Slough Town last August was the first time they picked up three points since 26 November 2022.

After a disastrous campaign that saw them finish bottom of the National League, 25 points adrift of safety, Bone and the rest of the squad worked hard over the summer to pave the way for the recent rejuvenation.

They have got themselves to a point where failure to win promotion back to the fifth tier at the first attempt would be considered “a disappointment”.

However, it won’t be easy, with just one side going up automatically and the six below them needing to navigate the playoffs. High-flying Yeovil Town are currently strong favourites to prevail, as they sit 13 points clear of second place after 26 games, so Maidstone will likely need to repeat their cup heroics with a series of wins come the end of the season.

“If we were to make the playoffs, we can certainly take this experience that we’ve had recently with the FA Cup into that,” Bone says.

The centre-back even admits there were times when he wondered if he had made the right decision leaving Irish football behind, particularly after last year’s dismal showing.

“I was so happy in Ireland, I was so comfortable, I found it really difficult to make that transition.

“At the end of the season, there was a part of me that was thinking: ‘Would I be happier in Ireland?’ 

“But I stuck with it. I spoke with friends, I spoke with family. And they just basically said to me: ‘See how the season goes.’ And so far, it has been brilliant.”

Bone still reflects fondly on his time in the Premier Division, which encompassed stints at Shamrock Rovers, Waterford, St Patrick’s Athletic and Dundalk.

He cites winning the 2021 FAI Cup with Pat’s and his year and a half at Waterford as particularly special.

“I was only speaking to Matt Keane, who’s one of the radio guys there, the other day. He’s an Ipswich fan, and he called me with such excitement.

“I remember when I left Waterford, I didn’t want to leave. But, for one reason or another, the whole team left that year. And that was really upsetting.

“But it’s funny how football changes because I was so upset leaving Waterford and then I went to Pat’s, and it was the happiest year in my life.”

After later being released by Dundalk, Bone had a long think about his next step. He had spent six years away from his family, with a sizeable portion of that period spent in lockdown owing to the coronavirus pandemic.

He did not want to become the type of League of Ireland player who “bounces from team to team” and the opportunity to represent his hometown club ultimately proved irresistible.

“My cousins and my aunties used to go to the games before I was even signed there.

“So I jumped at that and then luckily, it all worked out, and here I am.”