Jai Reason will be back in familiar territory when Maidstone go to Leyton Orient on Saturday.

Reason grew up as a fan of Orient’s east London neighbours West Ham but used to play football in the streets outside Brisbane Road.

The O’s are finding their feet in the National League after relegation and for Reason and his Stones team-mates, it’s a chance to take on a famous old name in English football.

Midfielder Reason said: “This is a massive game. I’ve got family that are a couple of doors away from the stadium.

“I remember as a kid playing in the streets there and hearing the roar of the Orient crowd.

“We’re all looking forward to it. They’re a big club, they shouldn’t be in this league, but we’re all going to embrace it and give it a right good go.

“We’ve just got to approach it like we do every game.

“We need to make sure everyone’s right and then get our heads around Orient’s shape, how they play and see how we can affect them.

“It’s going to be tough down there, they’re a massive club with a great fan base but I know Maidstone fans will be going there in numbers and I hope we give them a better result than we did at Ebbsfleet.”

Reason could have been lining up for Fleet had things worked out differently.

He held talks with boss Daryl McMahon after finishing last season at Boreham Wood but joined Maidstone.

He was handed his first start at Stonebridge Road and felt Stones were the better team.

Reason said: “I don’t know if I was ever close to joining Ebbsfleet, I didn’t really have much to do with it.

“I’m just happy to be a Maidstone player and it was good to make my debut.

“I felt strong, I felt fit and with more games I’m only going to get better.

“I feel this is the season where we can turn a few heads and keep pushing up that league.

“We need to get to 50 points as quickly as possible and whatever comes next, we’ll take it.”