Maidstone United utility man Sam Bone loving life with hometown team as coffee club proves an instant hit

Sam Bone has never been happier as Maidstone’s coffee club find the perfect blend off the pitch.

Bone is loving life after settling back into his home town following six years in Ireland.

Not only is he enjoying being around old friends and family, he also benefits from a number of team-mates living in the town.

They have regular get-togethers over a cup of coffee and have formed quite the social group.

“It’s the happiest I’ve been,” said Bone, 25.

“I’d spent six years in Ireland and when it hit me that I wasn’t going back, I found it a little bit difficult at first.

“My whole adult life up to that point had been in Ireland but I’m in such a good place now. I’m loving it in Maidstone.

“I’ve just moved into my new place, I get to see friends and family often and I’m surrounded by family after games. They come and watch me and it’s lovely.

“We’ve also got our little coffee club among the players.

“We go back to Lucas (Covolan) and Conor’s (Kelly) place and play cards and drink coffee.

“You want to see our coffee club group chat - there’s about half the squad on there.

“There’s Lucas, Conor, Levi (Amantchi), Chi (Ezennolim, Sol (Wanjau-Smith), myself, so it’s a good few.

“We meet up after sessions and basically go for a coffee.

“That’s me as a person. I hate being on my own.

“I love going for a coffee and socialising.

“Last week we went to watch Ebbsfleet and we watch the under-23s games.

“Whenever we can, we get together.

“If we get a weekend off, I might have to drag them to Dublin and introduce them to my other friends.”

Things are going well on the pitch for Bone, with Maidstone in the National League South play-off places and through to final qualifying in the FA Cup.

It’s a far cry from the situation he walked into in