FEVER PITCH

Elokobi dodged broken bottles playing as a kid so don’t moan about his club’s artificial surface

- Matthew Dunn

GEORGE ELOKOBI laughs at teams that moan about having to play on Maidstone United’s artificial pitch.

“When I was a child we played on broken bottles,” said the Cameroonborn Stones manager.

“Breweries would lease an area of land, fill it with broken bottles and then move on. But it was the only land that was free.

“We played bare-footed. We would have cuts on our cuts.

“Sometimes we had plastic bottles to kick around, other times it was the tough plastic ballcocks from toilets – ouch, that is hard.

“Or we would wrap plastic bags or clothes up. Sometimes it was chicken wire but we did not mind, we just wanted to play, and play with our mates.”

Today’s clash against League One Stevenage is the biggest game at the Stones since they last reached the FA Cup third round in 1988.