Ex-Maidstone manager John Still has been named head of football at Southend in a surprise move.

The Shrimpers have had a miserable time since dropping out of the Football League at the end of last season and are just outside the National League relegation zone.

They’ve turned to Still, who’s won the division a record three times under its former Conference guise, to help new head coach Kevin Maher get them up the table.

Still, 71, won the first of his three Conference titles with Maidstone in 1989, followed by further success with Dagenham in 2007 and Luton in 2014.

He’d been watching games for Dagenham in a recruitment role since ending his second spell at Maidstone following the curtailed 2019/20 National South campaign.

Still told Southend’s website: “I have known Kevin and his family since he was about 10 and when he became head coach at Southend, we got talking.

“I’d retired from managing but was doing the recruitment for Dagenham and to be honest with you I was comfortable.

“I was happy doing what I was doing.

“Kev spoke to me about coming in and it was something I felt I had to do.

“This game is a tough game. People think it’s a great job managing a football club, and it is, but it’s a hard job.

“I’ll be honest, I’m a Dagenham fan but I couldn’t say no to joining the club. I felt it was something I had to do.”

Maher made 62 appearances for Gillingham between 2009 and 2011 while another Priestfield old boy, Mark Bentley, is also on the coaching staff at Roots Hall.