Co-owner Terry Casey says Maidstone United know what's required in the National League after clinching return to non-league's top flight

Terry Casey says Maidstone will be better prepared for the challenges of National League football this time.

United last reached non-league’s top flight years ahead of schedule after three promotions in four seasons under Jay Saunders.

Their 2016 play-off final win at Ebbsfleet opened the door to a level the club weren’t ready for at the time and it eventually caught up with them, ending in relegation after three years.

They’re looking forward to a return after winning the National South title and co-owner Casey believes things will be different.

“It’s just a wonderful experience being an owner of a football club that gets promoted into the big league,” said Casey.

“For us, it’s the equivalent of a Championship side moving into the Premier League, because that’s how big a deal it is, and I’m just delighted for the fans and the extraordinary support they’ve given us.

“We’ve built up to this, we were prepared for it because we were undoubtedly the best team in the league, so we knew something like this was coming.

“We’ve had three years in the National League where we were like rabbits in the headlights, we didn’t really know what was required and now we know.

“We know in terms of finances, we know in terms of quality of squad, quality of backroom staff and management and we’re ready for the National League.

“It’s a massive jump but we’ve got to meet it. In big games, this town can warrant a 3,000 average maybe in the National League.

“We have to work out where we get enough money to pay a playing squad enough to hold their own in the league.

“We’ve signed on players we thought were going to be good in the National League, we’ve renewed their contracts, and now we’re looking at players that are maybe proven National League