Maidstone United’s Cameroonian manager George Elokobi hopes to inspire his hometown community with an FA Cup run.

The National League South side are the lowest-ranked team in the third round and host Stevenage on Saturday.

Elokobi, 37, who was born in Mamfe, moved to London when he was 16 before rising to the Premier League as a player with Wolverhampton Wanderers.

“Anyone that knew me back then, they won’t be surprised at what I’m achieving right now,” he said.

“I’m passionate in everything I do, with humbleness and respect,” Elokobi told BBC Radio Kent. “I go about it professionally and I try to do the best I can, and I hope this is going to inspire one young man or woman back in Cameroon to try to do what I’m doing here.

“The messages have been overwhelming in terms of the support I’ve been getting in the African continent, the UK and around the world. I keep getting lots of messages.

“It just shows the magnitude of what our players have achieved this season – each and every one of them deserves to be proud of themselves and this moment will always be in the history books as long as this club exists – and even beyond, it will still be there. I’m immensely proud of our players.”

From Maidstone player to manager

Elokobi replaced Hakan Hayrettin as manager last January, with Maidstone second bottom of the National League, but was unable to steer the club clear of relegation.

The Kent club are 10 points behind National League South leaders Yeovil Town, sitting fourth in the table, as they attempt to bounce back at the first attempt – but Elokobi believes Maidstone are moving in the right direction.

“I’m incredibly proud of what we have put together – there have been about 38 outgoings and incomings in a short time,” he told BBC Radio Kent.

“It’s not just improving results but improving individuals – like we’ve seen with Levi Amantchi, who has left us, but that’s all part of the structure here at Maidstone,” Elokobi said of the 23-year-old striker, whose release clause was activated by Bromley in December after he scored 13 goals in 20 matches this season.

‘I try to use all the setbacks I’ve had in my life’

Elokobi led Maidstone to a 2-1 second-round victory over Barrow, who are fourth in League Two.

The former central defender, who could also play on the left, followed his mother to England – having been raised by his grandmother in Cameroon after his father passed away.

It was in non-league football, with Dulwich Hamlet, where his own journey as a player began, before he was snapped up by Colchester at the age of 18.

Four years later, Wolves, with whom he won both the League One and Championship titles, came knocking.

Elokobi credits the beginning of his life in Cameroon for helping him climb the ladder and build character traits that he believes have served him well.

“Respect is one. Humbleness. Being honest, and transparency – and more so being diverse,” he said. “That doesn’t mean in colour – it means in opinions.

“I listen as a manager and I take on board and admit I’m wrong, which is important because that is how we learn.

“I’m ever-improving as an individual and all of that bears a determination. The fire to want to do well. In every adventure I take in life I want to be a success and I want to drive those standards.

“I try to use all the setbacks I’ve had in my life, which has spurred me on to be a player.

“Now as a manager I am starting at the bottom in terms of non-league – in a couple of years’ time who knows where that might take me in terms of the management journey. For now, I take it one day at a time – I’m excited with this Maidstone journey.”

Stevenage are seventh in League One but have lost two of their past three matches.

Their visit to the Gallagher Stadium on Saturday will be the biggest since Maidstone moved to the ground in 2012.

Elokobi is no stranger to success with Maidstone in the cup though, having been a player for the club when they reached the second round of the FA Cup in 2019 and took the lead at Blackpool, only to lose 3-1.

“To surpass that as the manager now is an incredible achievement for myself, family friends, team and old team-mates and my community back in Cameroon, and the small town that I grew up in.

“Its a momentous task for us, it’s going to be an incredible uphill task.

“We have to go out and try our best and enjoy the occasion. The magic of the FA Cup has a way of writing fairytales.”

Source: BBC