Maidstone United manager Hakan Hayrettin using his powers of persuasion

Manager Hakan Hayrettin is embracing the challenge of attracting players to Maidstone.

As probably the only sustainably-run club in the National League, United don’t have the financial muscle to compete with the division’s big hitters.

That means Hayrettin has to use his powers of persuasion in the transfer market.

Recent signing Reiss Greenidge is a case in point.

Financially out of reach in the summer following his release by Bolton, Hayrettin went back in for the big centre-half and sold him the opportunity to play football.

Greenidge took him up on it and has settled in nicely, offering much-needed height and presence in the backline.

“I chased him in the summer,” said Hayrettin.

“When I initially spoke to him, when I was in my hotel room, we were talking telephone numbers. I got dizzy.

“But that’s the going rate. It was the going rate and it still is the going rate.

“I always believed in what he could do and I think I can make him a better player.

“I use my character and my personality to sell what I’ve got to offer them and what they’ve got to offer me.

“Everyone’s got to look after their families, everyone’s got to do the right thing, but sometimes if you haven’t got any socks you can’t pull them up and I think Reiss was in that position.

“It’s difficult, isn’t it? We’re never going to compete financially, we know that.

“We’ve got two fantastic owners, who say we’re going to be self-sufficient, we’re not going to spend what we haven’t got and these teams we’re playing, their budgets are double ours and more.

“It’s not a secret but that’s the challenge, to overcome that, and to work as hard as we possibly can, collectively.

“I always say get behind the team, get behind the owners, the club and everybody. Let’s have