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 January as Maidstone hurtled towards National League relegation, going half a season without winning a game.

“I’m just finding my stride now,” said Bone. “I had a little niggle in the last couple of weeks of pre-season which I had to sort out, but I’ve started the last 11 or 12 games.

“I’m finding my rhythm, I’m feeling strong, I’m feeling good.

“It’s about consistency, especially in this league, if you want to challenge and be up there.

“We’ve had a good start but it’s past that 10-game mark when people start dropping off.

“Although we’re doing well now, it’s important myself, as a senior player, and the gaffer and the staff keep driving us on. We can’t take our foot off the gas.

“I think you can see with the squad we’ve got, we’ve gelled together and we’re finding that consistency, which is great.

“It was bittersweet when I came to the club last season.

“The results weren’t great before I came and Hakan (Hayrettin) had just been sacked, so I knew what I was getting into, but it was a big chance to play for my hometown club and have my family there every week.

“It was hard getting beat every week but we’re starting to pick up results and confidence.

“It’s just important we maintain that. We’re not having ourselves because we beat Worthing 4-0 in our last league game. That’s gone now. We have to keep driving it home.”

Bone was back in midfield at Winchester on Saturday following an extended run in central defence after injuries to Gavin Hoyte and Reiss Greenidge.

His versatility is a big asset for manager George Elokobi.

“The gaffer likes me in midfield but I’ve been at the back because of the injuries we’ve had,” said Bone.

“My preference would be midfield - that’s where I’ve grown up playing - although I did play centre-back in Ireland a good bit.

“I feel most comfortable in midfield but I don’t care where I play - I just want Maidstone to win.

“That feeling you get after games when you’ve won, you just can’t buy it.”