Although better known earlier in his career as a left-sided player, mainly at wing-back, James Rogers has been enjoying the responsibility of his central role at Maidstone United.

He told Kent Sports News, “I started playing centrally for Dover last year, but pushing on a bit more. Now that I’m that bit older, and the pace has gone a little, I can’t get round players if I’m wide, so it suits me down to the ground. The reading of the game has come with experience; the older I get, you read things a bit quicker.”

29-year old Rogers, now with his fourth Kent club, after spells at Dover (twice), Margate and Dartford, has become a key member of the side, and his partnership with Jack Parkinson has provided a stability to the Maidstone midfield.

With Maidstone’s Robert Dyas Ryman League Cup tie against Tonbridge Angels having been arranged for Thursday, Parkinson served his one-match suspension in that game, meaning he will be free to face Wrexham.

Rogers explained about their understanding, “we get on well, and really compliment each other on the park. We’re both happy to sit in, rarely bombing on, and he’s got a real presence in there.”

“He’s good in the air and comfortable on the ball. I enjoy doing the ‘dirty’ work, getting the tackles in, breaking up the play, but it’s only really been in the last year that I’ve played that way. I’ve enjoyed the role this year, although I’d like to add a few more goals. But if the team is winning, I’m not too bothered about that part of the game.

He has experienced the 2nd round of the FA Cup before, during Dover’s journey last season, which ended with a 1-0 defeat at MK Dons, and reminisced “the feeling this year has been very similar. We were a solid outfit at Dover last year, not really spectacular, but we found ways to grind out results.”

“MK Dons was a massive stadium, a big crowd and a League One side. They kept the ball well, and I think we matched them over the 90 minutes.”

“The boys are all looking forward to Wrexham. We’ve just had Stevenage, who are a big club, but Wrexham are arguably a bigger club again, just one who have found themselves in the Conference. Somewhere there is always an upset in the cup”

As a player used to playing in front of large crowds through his career, Rogers was still amazed by the support from the ‘Amber Army’.

He said “I still can’t believe the reception at Stevenage; walking out to see 1,400 fans in that stand and it was nice to experience that. I think we’re looking forward to getting to Wrexham and seeing the support up there.”

“Obviously we’d love to get to the Third Round and maybe get one of the big clubs, but we’ve got Wrexham first. It will be tough, but with the team we’ve got, I think we can match them. I’ve played against a few of their players when I was at Dartford, and I’m not worried about going there.”

“It’s strange that when we go away, sometimes the crowd seems so loud, even when there’s only one or two hundred there. But when you come here and see them behind the goals, and up in the stand, they are fantastic. They’ve definitely helped us along this season.”

“When I came here, I knew about the fan base and the potential of the club. I can remember Maidstone being a League club, a long time ago, and I believe that if we keep on building with the ground improvements, you could see the club being back there one day.”