MAIDSTONE United FC have announced a "substantial" new sponsorship deal with the company KF Concept.

The firm describes itself as a "a British-based private syndicate, currently operating in 33 countries, with 43,000 members".

KF already sponsor Llanelli FC, the snooker player Steven Lee and rally driver Natalie Barrett.

Apart from the main sponsorship deal, they have also agreed to donate £1,000 to the Stones' separate ground appeal. That money finally looks like being spent on the long-mooted scheme to build a stadium at Whatman Way in the county town.

At an official ceremony to mark the partnership, club chairman Paul Bowden Brown Bowden Brown said: "Maidstone Borough Council will give me a full progress report on the (stadium) plans within 10 days and I don't see there being any major problems."

He said it would take around 12 weeks to submit a formal application.