FORMER Gillingham player and coach Steve Butler is set to make a comeback at the age of 39 with his old club Maidstone United. Butler, sacked by Premier League Leicester as coach along with manager Peter Taylor last month, will rejoin the Stones providing he does not receive a job offer from new Brighton & Hove Albion boss Taylor.

Brighton chairman Dick Knight has insisted there will be no changes to the club's backroom staff of Bob Booker, Martin Hinshelwood, Dean Wilkins and ex-Gill Dean White who is Albion's reserve team coach and chief scout.

Butler, Maidstone's record goalscorer, could make his debut in Saturday's Bass Brewers Kent League home game against Erith Town.

Stones confirmed that Butler has had talks with manager Jim Ward and chairman Paul Bowden-Brown over signing a short-term contract. The deal is believed to be funded by a sponsorship deal.

Butler's last competitive goal was for Gillingham in the 1999-2000 Division 2 play-off final win over Wigan at Wembley.