The right-back position at Maidstone is a straight fight between Stephen Butcher and Aaron Simpson.

Boss Jay Saunders is planning to send Jack Sullivan out on loan, which means either ex-Gills man Butcher or former Whitstable youngster Simpson will get the nod for the opening league game against Met Police next weekend.

They have one more chance to impress when Stones welcome Tunbridge Wells to the Gallagher Stadium for their final pre-season friendly on Saturday.

Saunders said: “We’ve got a lot of quality all over but the right-back spot is a tough decision. Every time I see Aaron and Butch play I’m waiting for one of them to have a bad game but it hasn’t happened.

“I’m going to try and get Sulli out on loan to get him some games as Aaron and Butch have had better pre-seasons.”

Saunders also has some thinking to do down the spine of the side. Captain Steve Watt, Sonny Miles and Jamie Coyle are competing for two spots at centre-half, while United have five central midfielders on the books.

Saunders said: “Mickey Phillips is suspended for the first three games but we’ve still got James Rogers, Jack Parkinson, Alex Brown and Dan Parkinson to pick from in the middle."