Maidstone midfielder Tayt Trusty has developed the resilience to go alongside his talent after his experience at former club Blackpool.

Trusty, 20, suffered a broken leg on his Tangerines debut in an EFL Trophy tie against Morecambe in November last year.

It was rotten luck for the youngster, who’d been building up to his big moment ever since joining the club as a 16-year-old scholar in the summer of 2020.

The injury sidelined him for months and he was released in the summer, joining Maidstone as a free agent in mid-September.

“I fractured my leg 10 minutes into my debut, so it wasn’t nice, but I was glad to make my debut,” said Trusty, who is originally from Kent.

“That kept me out for four-to-five months, so it was hard to overcome, but you have to stay strong, and that was my first major injury. I literally went from a high to a low straight away but in football you have to be resilient.”

Trusty caught Blackpool’s eye in a showcase match for a team called Onside Football.

Having had unsuccessful trials elsewhere, he was suddenly on the books of a Football League club and starting a new life in the north west, signing a two-year scholarship and then a two-year pro deal.

He had several loan spells while with the Tangerines, most notably at Hartlepool, then in League 2.

“I enjoyed it at Blackpool and I felt more confident in myself,” said Trusty. “It was different being away from home, you become more independent and meet new faces.

“The people up there, from my digs to the coaches, they made it what it was.

“I learnt a lot and the coaches were really good with me. I played in different positions - centre-mid and centre-back - which helped my game understanding.”

Trusty was made aware of Maidstone’s interest after leaving Bloomfield Road. It was a win-win situation for the midfielder, giving him a chance to rebuild his career and live back at home in Greenhithe.

He’s impressed in his short time with the Stones, including a starring role in a 2-0 win at Worthing.

“It’s different to Blackpool but it’s only going to help my development and help me progress,” said Trusty.

“I felt like I needed to step out of my comfort zone playing academy football to play men’s football. That was a step I had to take to develop as a player.

“Coming down here and playing at National League South level is only going to better me and make me more of a man in football terms. When I heard about it, I thought it was a perfect opportunity.

“From the coaches to the players, they’ve made me feel welcome and I feel like I’ve built some confidence here.

“Obviously getting a few starts has made me feel confident and that’s the reason why I’m playing better.

“I feel like the lads are helping me, they’ve been playing in this league or above for longer than me and they’re making me comfortable and trying to give me pointers. The gaffer (George Elokobi) and the assistant (Craig Fagan) are the same.

“I’m trying to do what I can at this level, to try and impress, and hopefully I can get back in the league.

“I’m still young, I think I can progress, but that comes with being confident and putting in good performances.”

Stones, whose Monday night trip to Aveley was postponed due to traffic disruption, are at home to Hemel Hempstead in National League South on Saturday.