The Dart(s) Board

Canvey Island v Dartford Sat 11 Apr 2026

The Steves Taxis Stadium
Park Lane
Canvey Island
Essex
SS8 7PX
Tel: 01268 682991

Website: https://www.canveyislandfc.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CIFC
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/canveyislandfc/

Admission: https://www.canveyislandfc.com/a/admiss ... 52456.html
Directions: https://www.canveyislandfc.com/a/directions-52458.html

Surface: Grass

Referee: Steven Goldup
Assistant Referee: Piotr Zachwieja
Assistant Referee: Grant Steele

So here we ar then ... Folkestone, Aveley and Billericay are out of reach and from our perspective there are now only 9 games of the regular season that matter. It's a difficult task, but with the recent run of form we have to believe we are CAPABLE of winning all three of our games, in which case it would only need either Brentwood or Chatham to lose one game out of six. A short while ago it seemed all was lost, but the team have hit a purple patch recently and we are definitely back in the running.

Looking ahead to this week's games, the Darts must start favourites at already relegated Canvey, as would the Chats at home to Wingate & Finchley, but Brentwood appear to have a tricky one away to Carshalton, who still need a few points to avoid the drop. It's not inconceivable that by 5pm next Saturday we could have our destiny back in our own hands. The main thing is that we don't do what we have done so many times this season and underperform against the teams who are nearer the bottom than the top. How tragic would it be if Brentwood lose and we fail to beat Canvey. The team can ensure that doesn't happen by playing with the same level of commitment and intensity as they have against the likes of Folkestone, Lewes, Hashtag and Chatham.

11th April
Canvey Island v Dartford
Carshalton v Brentwood
Chatham v Wingate & Finchley

18th April
Cheshunt v Brentwood
Chichester v Dartford
Potters Bar v Chatham

25th April
Brentwood v Chichester
Chatham v Lewes
Dartford v Cray Valley PM

The good news is that we have hit our best run of form at the right time. How often does it happen that someone creeps into the bottom play-off spot and then topples someone who's been up top all season? We have been on the receiving end a few times ... wouldn't it be nice if we could be the team to do the toppling for once. The next couple of weeks will be exciting and I think it very likely that it will all go down to the last day.

Don’t want to look like I’m clutching at straws here, but are Brentwood even eligible for promotion? My understanding is that NLS teams need to have a 3,000 capacity ground

Dart of Herts wrote: Tue Apr 07, 2026 12:05 pm Don’t want to look like I’m clutching at straws here, but are Brentwood even eligible for promotion? My understanding is that NLS teams need to have a 3,000 capacity ground

That's true, but there's always the caveat that allows them to go up if they have plans in place to upgrade the ground to meet the requirements. The plans have to be realistic and credible and the upgrade would need to be completed by 31st March 2027, but whether Brentwood have such plans I have no idea.

My understanding is that, if they don't, then they wouldn't be allowed to take part in the play-offs and the 6th place team would be brought in as a substitute. Presumably, at this late stage, you would like to think the league would already know whether they are eligible and the absence of any news to the contrary would suggest that they are.

Spike wrote: Tue Apr 07, 2026 5:29 pm

Dart of Herts wrote: Tue Apr 07, 2026 12:05 pm Don’t want to look like I’m clutching at straws here, but are Brentwood even eligible for promotion? My understanding is that NLS teams need to have a 3,000 capacity ground

That's true, but there's always the caveat that allows them to go up if they have plans in place to upgrade the ground to meet the requirements. The plans have to be realistic and credible and the upgrade would need to be completed by 31st March 2027. Whether Brentwood have such plans only they will know.

Yes but according to the FA’s guidelines from this season, they need to already have a capacity of 1,950 (which they don’t as far as I know) then show they can expand to 3,000 by March 2027. (https://www.thefa.com/get-involved/play ... nd-grading page 13)

So I guess it all comes down to what their current capacity actually is.

Under the FA’s current Step 3 to Step 2 ground grading rules, they would need to already have a certified capacity of at least 1,950 before any promotion could be approved, and then show a credible plan to reach 3,000 by 31 March 2027.

The difficulty is that there’s no real public clarity on Brentwood’s current certified capacity. Older published figures usually quote 1,500, but their 2024 ground redevelopment and 3G installation may have increased the official safety certificate figure through extra hardstanding and perimeter works.

So the real issue is not the later 3,000 expansion plan, but whether the 2024 development has already taken them to 1,950+ on paper. At the moment, that remains unclear from publicly available information

Brentwood currently have a capacity of 1000 - 1500 with seating for 160 - 278.

A lot of work needed by the looks of it, do they have the finances to do it all in time.

The 5th Searcher wrote: Tue Apr 07, 2026 6:05 pm Brentwood currently have a capacity of 1000 - 1500 with seating for 160 - 278.

A lot of work needed by the looks of it, do they have the finances to do it all in time.

I've seen that 1500 figure in a few places but I'm not convinced it's still correct as they had a lot of work done in 2024 and it may have changed.

Brentwood carried out the following improvements in 2024 ...
1. new FIFA Quality 3G pitch
2. “extensive hardstanding surrounds”
3. new pitch perimeter barrier
No 2 suggests the capacity may have increased but there doesn't seem to be any official figures anywhere that I can find.
They are clearly planning for the future so it surely would have increased.
I'd be sceptical about the 1500 figure still being correct.

They had a record attendance set in September 2025 of 1574 Vs Billericay.

But it also says their highest attendance was 1661 vs Dulwich Hamlet in 2016.

Some sources (e.g., Wikipedia) indicate higher potential capacity (up to 3,000 in some reports), but 1,000 to 1,500 is the commonly cited figure for current operational capacity.

I guess we’ll have to see what happens, more importantly we need to get to the play off’s first.

Let's just get the 9 points as I'm confident that would be enough.

1,950 is no longer a requirement at step 3, which is why it’s a minimum requirement for promotion to step 2, even before the 31st March deadline for 3,000

The reason I mention it is that, per league rules, if Brentwood’s capacity is under 1,950 they aren’t even eligible for playoffs, meaning 6th place would get the final spot if Brentwood finish top 5.

Obviously if we could finish in the top 5 ourselves that would be ideal, but it wouldn’t surprise me if this was missed by the league

FA guidelines, NLS rules, IPL rules.
9 points is what we need to focus on, anything less will be a disappointment and all three clubs we are playing will have something to prove.
Canvey Island are down but are still fighting for a bit of pride.

There are a few just waiting for us to slip up so they can blame somebody or something. So to achieve a play off position by rules would be a great achievement in itself. Although there have been actions taken whereby a club is just given a bye.
Personally I thought Brentwood were the best club I'd seen this season and it would be a shame to see them not get a chance to play in the play-offs.
Should DFC not beat them to it.

To achieve a playoff position should be a minimum achievement. But what do I know, I’m just happy we have a club and glad we’re going to stay up.

KentC wrote: Fri Apr 10, 2026 7:04 am To achieve a playoff position should be a minimum achievement.

I hear ya - but ‘achievement’ - not so sure. After last season, anything less than promotion has to be regarded as a failure. Merely reaching the playoffs cannot be measured as success. Anything lower than the previous season is failure. We have to win five games on the trot. (If Brentwood and/or Chatham allow us the opportunity for the extra two.)