Eccentric Steve Ward dressed up as Brighton FA Cup hero Steve Foster for his Maidstone team-talk last weekend.

The United No.2 sported a wig, headband and false beard ahead of Stones' defeat against Boreham Wood to imitate Foster, who helped Brighton reach the 1983 final against Manchester United.

Ward even had a visit from the man himself lined up had Maidstone reached the final qualifying round.

He said: “The plan was to get Fozzy and Gary Stevens along for the team talk if we’d got through.

“I like to do things a bit differently to keep the players’ interest.

“It wasn’t just a gimmick. There was a meaning behind it, in that if we’d reached the first round it would mirror Brighton getting to the final.

“Players are told the same old stuff – work hard, pass the ball – but with some it goes in one ear and out the other, so I like coming up with ideas to get their attention.”

Read the full interview in Friday's Kent Messenger.