The only goal in last year’s Mistaken Identity Clasico at JWW. Picture by Steve Terrell.
Last week’s victory at Horsham saw Maidstone United end their four-match winless streak as goals from Nana Boateng and Tom Leahy secured all three points in West Sussex. This weekend, Berkshire outfit Maidenhead United pay a visit to ME14. Preview by JACK FOULGER.
HISTORY
Having formed in 1870, the Magpies were first established as Maidenhead FC, playing in the FA Cup in 1871 and entering the Southern League in 1894. They would then go on to spend the entirety of the 20th century participating in various regional divisions, including the Spartan, Corinthian and Isthmian Leagues, winning a total of eight championships in the process. This period would also see the club adopt its current name, after merging with neighbours Maidenhead Norfolkians in 1919.
Fast forward to the millennium, and the Berkshire side began a steady rise up the non-league pyramid, reaching Step 2 by 2004 to become one of the original 22 clubs to play in the Conference South. They would remain in the sixth tier for 12 of the subsequent 13 seasons, before the 2016/17 campaign eventually saw the Magpies promoted to the National League for the first time ever after pipping Ebbsfleet United to the title on the final day.
Maidenhead successfully held their own amongst non-league’s elite, finishing as high as 12th in a memorable eight-year spell that would eventually come to an end after ending the 2024/25 campaign third from bottom.
Last season, the Berkshire side managed to secure a NL South play-off place after finishing seventh in their first campaign post-relegation. However, hopes of an instant return to the National League were eventually dashed as a 2-0 Eliminator defeat to Dorking Wanderers condemned them to another season in the sixth tier.
THE SQUAD
With a total squad size of 23 players, Maidenhead’s ranks consist of a varying mixture of new signings and returnees from last campaign.
Currently amidst his second season at SL6, prolific striker Josh Umerah remains at York Road following a successful 2025/26 campaign that saw the 29-year-old net 16 times in 41 appearances. Prior to his time in Berkshire, Umerah had enjoyed numerous stints across the National League and EFL, most notably starring for Hartlepool United for whom he was top scorer in the 2022/23 season.
Elsewhere on the field, Coventry City loanee and centre-back David Mantle has recently provided an additional defensive option after making the temporary move south last month. Since joining, the 19-year-old has played every possible minute of league action, notably being part of the XI that kept a clean sheet in September’s 4-0 demolition of Chesham United.
Summer signing and winger Josh Coley is also enjoying a promising campaign with the Magpies, currently standing as their top playmaker with three assists so far. The 28-year-old is now in his second spell with the Berkshire side, having originally featured for them in the 2020/21 season where he made 37 league appearances, scoring five goals in the process.
THE GAFFER
After spending six and a half seasons as assistant to club legend Alan Devonshire, current boss Ryan Peters is enjoying his first full season in the hotseat. Initially taking over on an interim basis last November, the 39-year-old made a swift impact, securing a play-off place in the same campaign before officially being appointed as manager on a two-year deal in May.
Prior to his role as assistant manager, Peters enjoyed a 15-year playing career that saw him feature over 350 times throughout the English pyramid with notable extended spells at Brentford and Braintree Town before eventually hanging up his boots with the Magpies in 2019.
FORM
Currently sat 16th in the table, the Magpies have endured what many might consider to be a subpar start to the campaign, after taking just 13 points from their opening 11 matches. Peters’ side have been on an inconsistent run of form, having experienced two victories, two defeats and a draw in their past five league games.
Most recently, Maidenhead welcomed Tonbridge Angels to York Road, where they fell on the wrong side of a low-scoring affair, which saw Alan Dunne’s side leave Berkshire with maximum points following an 84th-minute winner from striker Frankie Baker.
It’s been a while since Maidstone have beaten Maidenhead: Dom Odusanya opened the scoring in a 3-2 win back in November 2022.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Since Maidstone first achieved promotion to the NL South back in 2016, they have taken on the Magpies a total of 10 times across non-league’s top two tiers. Over this period, the Stones have fallen to six defeats, drawn twice and won twice.
Their most recent loss to the Berkshire outfit took place back in March of this year, when a stoppage-time penalty from midfielder Josh Popoola saw Maidenhead snatch all three points in a play-off six-pointer after a second-half equaliser from Riley Court initially cancelled out Remy Clerima’s opener.
The last time Maidstone recorded a victory in this fixture was back in November 2022, when goals from Dom Odusanya, Regan Booty and Christie Pattisson saw Hakan Hayrettin’s side win a five-goal thriller. Unfortunately, that would go on to mark the Stones’ final league victory for over eight months as they subsequently went winless in their remaining 25 National League fixtures before relegation the following April.
THE STADIUM
For all but two months of their 156-year history, the Magpies have played their home matches at York Road Stadium, which is widely regarded as the oldest English football ground still in continuous use by a single club. Situated at the heart of Maidenhead town centre, the Berkshire venue has a total capacity of 4,500, including 500 seats in the Railway Stand which opened in 2015.
Due to York Road’s aging status, the Magpies currently hold ongoing plans to move into a newly-built stadium at the nearby Braywick Park, with an intended capacity of 5,000 spectators. Although there is no formal timeline for completion, efforts to obtain the site have been looking positive with the local council recently approving the release of the required land.
