Maidstone Museum is to stage a major new exhibition on the history of football in the County Town.

The exhibition, entitled ‘Maidstone – United in Football’, will run from September 14 this year to January 18, 2020.

The exhibition’s theme is the extraordinary job football has done over the decades in bringing the people of Maidstone together.

As well as numerous stories of the ups and downs of Maidstone football itself, it will shed light on the contributions of local benefactors, administrators and businesses. It also highlights some of the town’s many innovative contributions to sporting provision, including women’s football.

The event brings together a huge number of football-related objects, some dating back as far as the Victorian era. Most notably, the organisers have exclusive access to a collection of memorabilia compiled by Maidstone United’s former chairman, Jim Thompson. Among these are items never before displayed publicly, including the original club’s honours board.

A number of other objects of exceptional historical interest are additionally being secured on loan from other sources. There are plans to build a number of exciting set-pieces to complement the themed displays, one being a replica of the Maidstone United boardroom at the old Athletic Ground that includes contents of the original club’s trophy cabinet. Maidstone’s Hazlitt Theatre will be taking on their construction.

The exhibition is being curated by Maidstone-born John Bunyard, a Stones fan since 1962. He said: “The idea was sparked by reading an online comment that Maidstone has a fantastic footballing story, but few of us know it. After two years’ research, I can only confirm just how true that is.”

For details of opportunities to sponsor particular presentational elements, please email ben.mcgannan@waterwellbeing.com