Maidstone boss Jay Saunders will remain registered as a player.

Back problems limited the 34-year-old to just a couple of appearances last season, but he’s not quite ready to call time on a midfield career that saw him play Conference football for Margate and Gravesend.

Saunders said: “I’ll stay registered and play when I’m needed. Funnily enough, I’ve been working with the academy for a couple of weeks and my back’s been as good as gold.

“But when I’m back in my day job, a couple of days and I can hardly move.

“It would be hard for me to get in the side, anyway, with the midfielders we have at the club.

“When I first took over and was still playing regularly, I found it hard to give the lads a rollicking if I wasn’t doing the business myself.

“But in an ideal world, if my back was fine, I’d love to still be playing.”

Stones No.2 Steve Ward will also be registered for the club’s first year back in the Ryman League, Premier Division.