The Dart(s) Board

Dart of Herts wrote: Thu Apr 30, 2026 1:51 pm

Lars Resort wrote: Thu Apr 30, 2026 1:33 pm No, I mean this season.
Under achieved.

Second season syndrome is about newly-promoted teams that are relatively small for their new division. They have momentum, confidence and a good playing system from their promotion season, and bigger teams underestimate them. After their first season, bigger teams raid them of their best players and learn to stop the tactics that caught them off guard in the first season.

Obviously it’s a trend, not a golden rule. But I’d put money on Brentwood being nowhere near the top 5 next season (if they lose the final)

If they go up, I’m happy for them, but it’s better for us if they stay down

Doh, I think Barry Hearn is pumping some decent finance into Brentwood through sponsorship so reckon they might still be a major play off threat.

Talking of which, who won the Player of the season? Did anyone win the Player of the season?

If you mean ours then it was as follows:

HOME PLAYER
1st Olly Box
2nd George Whitefield
3rd Eddie D’Sane

AWAY PLAYER
1st George Whitefield
2nd Olly Box
3rd Eddie D’Sane

Thanks 5th.

DA Mikey wrote: Wed Apr 29, 2026 9:31 pm

The Futures White wrote: Tue Apr 28, 2026 10:50 pm There will be no trip to Jersey next season for Dartford. The Bulls lost their play off semi final on penalties after a 0-0 draw with AFC Whyteleafe. In the other Isthmian South East play off semi-final AFC Croydon beat Sittingbourne 2-0

Brilliant.
You want: Weekend in Jersey
You’d settle for: A2 derby vs Sittingbourne
You get: Croydon

You’ll be pleased know it is Whyteleafe that won the play off final on pens.

So Croydon then!

DA Mikey wrote: Sun May 03, 2026 5:53 am So Croydon then!

And Colchester now as Stanway Rovers won the Isthmian North play off final on pens. Stanway manager, Jamie Shaw, has just secured their second successive promotion after previously winning the Essex Senior League. I can see him getting some offers to manager elsewhere. Tough team to play against and even tougher facilities play at! Apart from the social club/bar outside the ground the facilities inside aren’t great especially when it’s wet as the concrete walkway down the popular corner gets flooded. It’ll make the faithful hanker even more for the NLS days…

Skip wrote: Sun May 03, 2026 9:41 am

DA Mikey wrote: Sun May 03, 2026 5:53 am So Croydon then!

And Colchester now as Stanway Rovers won the Isthmian North play off final on pens. Stanway manager, Jamie Shaw, has just secured their second successive promotion after previously winning the Essex Senior League. I can see him getting some offers to manager elsewhere. Tough team to play against and even tougher facilities play at! Apart from the social club/bar outside the ground the facilities inside aren’t great especially when it’s wet as the concrete walkway down the popular corner gets flooded. It’ll make the faithful hanker even more for the NLS days…

Hey Skip I was at the play off semi v Waltham abbey and Stanway were dogged and well organised. Had an Abbey player not been sent off I doubt Stanway would have got through. It will be interesting to see how a team in the Essex senior two seasons gets on in the Ryman prem. it’s a wake up call in that how quickly they got to Ryman prem as the reverse can so easily happen. As a club we must be on our guard

rambo wrote: Sun May 03, 2026 9:54 am

Skip wrote: Sun May 03, 2026 9:41 am

DA Mikey wrote: Sun May 03, 2026 5:53 am So Croydon then!

And Colchester now as Stanway Rovers won the Isthmian North play off final on pens. Stanway manager, Jamie Shaw, has just secured their second successive promotion after previously winning the Essex Senior League. I can see him getting some offers to manager elsewhere. Tough team to play against and even tougher facilities play at! Apart from the social club/bar outside the ground the facilities inside aren’t great especially when it’s wet as the concrete walkway down the popular corner gets flooded. It’ll make the faithful hanker even more for the NLS days…

Hey Skip I was at the play off semi v Waltham abbey and Stanway were dogged and well organised. Had an Abbey player not been sent off I doubt Stanway would have got through. It will be interesting to see how a team in the Essex senior two seasons gets on in the Ryman prem. it’s a wake up call in that how quickly they got to Ryman prem as the reverse can so easily happen. As a club we must be on our guard

Rambo, dogged and well organised sums them up well. They beat Maldon and Tiptree at home and were a couple of minutes away from winning at their place, too. I can see Stanway being the graveyard for a few ILP teams expecting an easy three points next season.

Hanworth Villa beat Westfields 2-0 in the Isthmian South Central playoff today completing the list of promoted teams from step 4 (Isthmian leagues).

Promotion/Relegation to our division looks like this:

We say goodbye to Folkestone Invicta and one out of Billericay Town and Brentwood Town (playoff final tomorrow) - promotion to National South

Also say cheerio to relegated sides Cray Valley (PM), Hashtag United, Potters Bar Town and Canvey Island - relegation to step 4

Looking at the National South relegated teams we will welcome Eastbourne Borough and Enfield Town (Chippenham Town and Bath City will be off to the Southern League South)

Finally, these are six Isthmian based sides moving up to step three (four will end up in our division):
Maldon & Tiptree (Isthmian North champions)
Stanway Rovers (Isthmian North playoff winners)
Three Bridges (Isthmian South East champions)
AFC Whyteleafe (Isthmian South East playoff winners)
Leatherhead (Isthmian South Central winners)
Hanworth Villa (Isthmian South Central playoff winners)

This thread/map on the non league matters forum is normally good at projecting who goes where:

https://www.nonleaguematters.co.uk/foru ... 027.17530/

Crikey, I go away for 5 minutes and look what happens.
With that crowd joining us next season we'll be lucky to make the bottom 4.
No manager, no players queuing up to re-sign.

I see Ramsgate are selling their season tickets at £136-50 for adults, £99-75 for Concessions (Over 60’s & Students), U18’s £0

They’ve sold 200 + season tickets already, that’s good going and an excellent price.

Brentwood are staying put after a goal deep in the second half of extra time has won it 2-1 for Billericay.

AFC Whyteleafe win promotion and then decide that their ground is too small and that they will now ground share with Cray Wanderers. Some of their supporters are not too pleased.

They could share with us.

The Futures White wrote: Thu May 07, 2026 10:59 am AFC Whyteleafe win promotion and then decide that their ground is too small and that they will now ground share with Cray Wanderers. Some of their supporters are not too pleased.

Bloody hell! Cray Wanderers. Another away game I’ll be missing then - for being a shithole with a plastic pitch and no view!

Olly Box gets an Honourable Mention in the Isthmian Premier League Team of the Season 2025/26 although he doesn’t make the top XI as it’s mainly Folkestone players or those in the play off’s.

The 5th Searcher wrote: Thu May 07, 2026 6:59 pm Olly Box gets an Honourable Mention in the Isthmian Premier League Team of the Season 2025/26 although he doesn’t make the top XI as it’s mainly Folkestone players or those in the play off’s.

I think that you need to read the article again. It was written by a Billericay fan who has selected the players who in his opinion are the Isthmian Premier League Team of the Season 2025/26. I think that the 'official' Isthmian Premier League Team of the Season is usually voted for by the respective manager's of each club.

Trouble for Maldon and Tiptree

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4g ... PAkCu-9xUQ

KSTDART wrote: Fri May 08, 2026 3:06 pm Trouble for Maldon and Tiptree

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4g ... PAkCu-9xUQ

Bugger me!