FORMER Gillingham player and coach Steve Butler has signed for his old club Maidstone United. The 39-year old forward, who was sacked as Premier League Leicester City's coach along with former Gills boss Peter Taylor, put pen to paper last night before the Stones' 1-0 FA Carlsberg Vase victory over Bedfont.

Butler has signed non-contract terms and will play in Stones Bass Brewers Kent League match against lowly Erith Town at Central Park on Saturday. It is a major coup for chairman Paul Bowden-Brown and manager Jim Ward who had been chasing Butler's signature for 10 days. They see him as vital to Stones¹ challenge for the Kent League title and with it promotion.

Bowden-Brown said: "We have signed an experienced player who will benefit the club on and off the field. Yes, I have had to offer a realistic figure to attract him, but I hope this signing proves to everyone we mean business."

Butler first joined Maidstone in 1986 and is the club's leading goalscorer of all time with more than 170 goals. During Stones short stint in the Football League he scored 41 times in 76 appearances.

He said: "I have had other offers, including from Nuneaton Borough in the Conference, but I have followed Maidstone's progress since the club reformed and been impressed by what the chairman has achieved and his plans to climb the leagues again."