Now 32, ex-captain Kev still looked useful for Oldham last season, spraying passes around as of old.
Visiting Shrimpers at the last away game at Boundary Park certainly gave him a rousing reception when he visited our end to take a corner.
Still without a testimonial date and many Shrimpers believing he was unjustly shown the door, Kevin will be able to give us another showing of his midfield skills, remaining in League One for, at least, 2009/10.
Maher told the Kent Messenger: "I was delighted to sign and I'm just looking forward to getting started now. After speaking with the manager, it looks like this club is a good place to be. I've got a fair bit of experience and I know the league inside out. I've been playing league football for quite a while now and I know what it's about. With so many young lads here, I'm looking forward to them keeping me on my toes. I don't mind the responsibility and the older you get it's something you take onboard and hopefully I can help out some of the young lads."
As with all new signings the obligatory bigging up of the new club is expected and Kev didn't let his new fans down: "The team spirit is there and the group have come a long way together. After the disappointment of relegation they've bounced back and shown what character they have. It's always tough when you get relegated but to bounce back is great credit to the lads. It looks like that team spirit is already in place and there are some good, hungry players in the team who are desperate to improve. The team have come a long way."
Still, Maher felt an explanation was needed after doing a runner up north last season, deciding to join the Latics after playing for Gillingham on loan just before relegation was confirmed, with Gills boss Mark Stimpson keen to get his signature: "I wanted to play at the highest level I could, and I wasn't young enough to be able to afford to drop down a division."
So welcome back Kev, again, come October 31 at the Hall, where he should join other former Blues Mark Bentley and Gary Richards, and certainly now shot stopper Simon Royce, who signed a new one-year contract with the Kent based club last week.
The 37-year-old goalkeeper spoke about his concerns of not finding another club: "I made it clear I wanted to carry on but I wasn't sure whether it was going to be at Gillingham. I was offered a contract three days after the play-off final. It was a take it or leave it offer. I had to make a decision. If I turned it down then I could have gone two or three weeks without a club - or not even got one at all. I know Steve Lomas left Gillingham last year and couldn't get a club when he wanted to play for another year, so I had to consider any offer seriously."