Sittingbourne are hoping for a bumper weekend crowd as supporters can pay what they can.

The Brickies kick off their Isthmian South East season at home to Cray Valley on Saturday.

A ‘pay what you can’ day at Woodstock Park is a way of the club attracting more fans and generating a great atmosphere as their league campaign gets under way.

Manager Ryan Maxwell is always keen to engage with the fans and it’s a case of the more the merrier for him.

“It’s a great gesture from our board,” he said.

“It’s about the fans rather than trying to line the club’s pockets. We want to see as many faces as we possibly can, and get a great atmosphere going.

“It is all about atmosphere, not about money. It’s about creating a fans’ club and wanting as many people as possible to be part of it.

“We do interact with the fans a lot and I want that to continue all season.

“To have as many people there as possible would be fantastic, there’s going to be a very competitive game and I am sure they are looking forward to it as much as we are.”

Visitors, Cray Valley missed out on a play-off spot by a point last season. Maxwell’s side ended up in 11th place.

Former Tonbridge and Carshalton boss Steve McKimm has taken over from Tommy Osborne as Cray manager.

“It will be a very tough game,” predicated Maxwell. “They will be up there, no doubt about that, they have signed well, they are backed well. They have a lot going for them.

“I know their manager well, I played against his team a few times when I was at Braintree and he was at Tonbridge, I know what to expect.

“It will be a great first league opener and getting as many people as we can through the door would be welcome.”

The Brickies warmed up for that match with an FA Cup double, after their weekend match against Jersey Bulls ended goalless.

The sides returned to Woodstock on Tuesday night for the Extra Preliminary Round replay. Despite playing at home in the first match, Sittingbourne were offered the chance to play the replay at home too, thanks to a generous offer from their opponent’s chief executive.

The Brickies lost the replay 2-0.

Jersey Bulls opened their account on 50 minutes after the visitors pounced when a free-kick came off the crossbar.

Sittingbourne thought they had a lifeline when Darnell Kithhambo went down in the box after a challenge from the Bulls keeper.

The referee initially gave the penalty but changed his mind after speaking with the assistant, instead issuing the Brickies man with a yellow card for simulation.

Bulls sealed the win in stoppage time.

Maxwell said: “The FA Cup is an extra, it’s a bonus, it’s a distraction, albeit a good one, but the league is the bread and butter, the most important thing.

“The goal is to make it into those positions up near the top, that is our main focus.”

Defender Jake Goodman has signed on loan from Folkestone Invicta to help their cause.

Goodman spent last season with National South side Dover and has previously played for Margate, Bromley and Ebbsfleet.

Invicta only signed Goodman themselves this summer, planning for the player to have a starting role for them, to cover for injuries.

Those have now cleared up and with game-time likely to be limited, he’s gone to Woodstock to see some action.

Folkestone joint-boss Michael Everitt said: “Jake is still a big part of our plans for this season. We need to ensure he is still getting game time to stay fit and be game ready and this is important both for him and for the club.”