Maidstone are determined to learn from their mistakes if they achieve promotion back to the National League.

The Stones are in contention for an immediate return after booking a National League South play-off place.

But their last experience of non-league’s top went badly wrong, going six months without a win and finishing bottom.

Poor recruitment was cited as a major factor behind their struggles, while also retaining too many of their National League South title-winning squad.

The Stones have long been planning for both scenarios - promotion or staying put for another season.

But if they were to go up, they don’t intend to repeat the errors that cost them so dearly.

“There’s always been a Plan A and a Plan B from the very start of the season,” said head of recruitment Zach Foster-Crouch, who works closely with manager George Elokobi.

“Plan A is to be in the National League next season and Plan B is how things will look if we’re in National League South again.

“We’ve always had it in our minds that we’re going off two plans.

“We’ve very conscious of the decisions that were made the last time we were in the National League and we don’t want to make the same mistakes in recruitment because that was a huge part of our downfall that season.

“If we go with Plan A, it’s about ensuring we’re going to be a side who can get 52 points to get us safe. That’s always the first objective.

“If we remain in National League South, the minimum we want is a side that can get in the play-offs.

“We have to be conscious of the boys we may lose or won’t retain in either scenario.

“We understand if we go to the National League, we’ve to be more cut-throat and ruthless in decisions we make.

“Knowing George, he’s constantly striving to get better every year.

“We just need to ensure that whatever happens, we’re either ready to go again in National League South or be as competitive as we possibly can on the budget we have in the National League.”

Foster-Crouch admires Stones co-owners Terry Casey and Oliver Ash for running a club that lives within its means.

They buck the trend in football by operating a profitable business, refusing to put the club at risk by spending money they don’t have.

That presents challenges in the transfer market but Maidstone are ready to box clever to get the players they need.

“If we’re in the National League there’ll be at least a dozen clubs who have double our budget,” said Foster-Crouch.

“We fall in line with the budget we’re set and we have to do our due diligence to get the best player we can for the money we have available and who are a good fit in every single department.

“I’m from Maidstone and what happened last time hurt me and it hurt us as a football club.

“In terms of recruitment this year, we’ve made better decisions and got more value with the players we’ve brought in and that has to be the aim again.

“We’ll have a model where we try to get two players in every position to give us strength in every area.

“It’s something we’ve done better this year.

“In certain areas we haven’t had enough cover but when we’ve had to bring in fresh faces, they’ve added something to the group.”

Maidstone’s difficulties last season led to the formation of a recruitment committee.

Foster-Crouch sits on that, along with Elokobi, assistant manager Craig Fagan, director of football Bill Williams and co-owners Casey and Ash.

Notable successes include striker Levi Amantchi, who scored 20 goals in half a season before joining Bromley, and goalkeeper Lucas Covolan.

Others haven’t worked out and have moved on but, overall, Maidstone can be happy with their recruitment.

Foster-Crouch said: “Collectively, as a whole, we’ve been pleased with how the players have gelled as a group and what we achieved in the FA Cup - getting to the fifth round - surpasses anything a club at this level is likely to do for a long time.

“From the moment we got relegated, me, George, Craig and Bill called it ‘Rebuilding the Stones’.

“We knew there would be a high turnover of players and we knew we were going to bring in 12 or 13.

“We recognised they weren’t all going to work out but I don’t think we’ve done too badly.

“We have to take that momentum into any recruitment cycle we have.

“I take part of the blame for what happened last time - we all felt responsible.

“It’s our job, with the recruitment committee, to ensure it doesn’t happen again.”

Maidstone, fifth after losing 3-1 at Truro last weekend, complete the regular season at home to Hampton & Richmond on Saturday (3pm).

Victory could see them finish as high as third, securing a home play-off semi-final.

Stay fifth and they’ll play the sixth-placed side in an eliminator at the Gallagher Stadium on Tuesday (7.45pm).

Climb to fourth and they’ll host the side finishing seventh on Wednesday (7.45pm).

The semi-finals take place on April 27 and 28, with the final on May 6 (all 3pm).