Captain Stuart Lewis turned down big money to stay at Maidstone.

There was a hefty offer on the table elsewhere but Lewis couldn't leave the Gallagher Stadium.

His relationship with the club and their fans meant more to the midfielder, who has signed a new one-year deal.

Lewis, who is due to become a dad for the first time in November, said: "I wanted to stay at the Stones.

"The affiliation I've got with the club and the fans made it a no-brainer in the end.

"I've got a special relationship with the club.

"Where I'm doing my coaching with Spurs as well, I weighed it all up and thought 'do you know what, it's important I get a good balance.'

"I get that at Maidstone where I can still do my coaching.

"The way I'm thought of and how well I've done there, the grass isn't always greener.

"The best option for my life and my career is to stay at Maidstone."

Lewis likes the look of Maidstone's summer business, in particular keeping fellow midfielder Michael Phillips and attracting centre-half Will De Havilland back after a successful loan spell.

The latest recruit is Jordan Wynter, a defender/midfielder who has joined from relegated Woking.

Lewis said: "The signings have been positive, young, hungry, they want to prove a point and I've got a good feeling about them.

"It is a tough league this year, with big teams and big budgets, but I think we can have a positive season.

"We're still out for a striker, we need someone to score goals, that's no secret, but if we can be solid behind that and better defensively that will also be important."

Lewis wants to push on after flirting with relegation but is also realistic.

He said: "There's no point going into a season and aiming low and not thinking we can do something, because I believe we can.

"At the same time we have to be realistic and say some of the teams can blow Maidstone out of the water financially and everyone knows that.

"But if we can get a good structure to our play and our team then who knows what can happen?

"We've got to make the Gallagher a fortress, make it tough for people to come and be hard to play against, like when we beat Fylde at the end of the season.

"If we can aim for a top-half finish that would be a positive but at the same time that's not to to say we can't kick on if we're in a good position around February."