DA Mikey wrote: Fri Nov 01, 2024 5:22 am
Agree with Tall Fella. Haven’t given up the season ticket yet, so still coming to PP, but Tuesday night away games have absolutely no appeal whatsoever. It has to feel like the club are making some effort to return to former glory but there are no signs of that currently. I don’t want to be responsible for dwindling numbers of the DFC crowd, however when it starts to feel like a second job, there needs to be stronger initiatives to come along.
As PL said a little while ago, we need a shift back to supporting this club with pride rather than it being an embarrassment.
I live in Derbyshire now and still make trips down to PP although this season my patience has really been tested. Yesterday I made the short trip for a ground tour at Mansfield Town FC (currently 4th in league 1).
On display was their national conference title trophy and stuff from 2012/13 season when we beat them live on tv - wonder Ryno goal. I was chatting to staff there about that season and they commented on the Darts and asked where we were league wise these days. I informed them and they were shocked we had fallen so far but also commented that they really hope we will bounce back coz we made such an impact that season. That heartened me and I rewatched again the Mansfield highlights and then the Luton away victory game two weeks later - best away day ever !
How the fortunes of two clubs have varied eh with Luton too and a certain Wrexham who I am sure will also be in the championship.
Let’s all hope fellow Darts that we will get back up there soon eh COYD
Fantastic memories, Paul. What a season that was. I’ll be watching one of those Dartford greats, Lee Noble, take to the pitch for Brentwood at Felixstowe, this Saturday. I remember a couple of goals he banged in at Luton and Wrexham that season when he really shone out as a player of quality at the highest level outside the EFL.
I’ve caught up with Nobes a few times playing for the opposition since moving here and following The Seasiders. He always talks very fondly of the club although not so of the way things ended under Steve King. Mind you Alan Dowson desperately tried to encourage him back south of the river but Nobes definitely made the right choice in not accepting that poisoned chalice!
Whatever the result Saturday, hopefully I’ll be buying him a drink after the match to celebrate my birthday and no doubt recount that epic season once more.
Lee Noble - what a player - my boys were mascots (2007) when we played Brentwood and scored a worldy against us- we then signed Nobes. Rest is history. Total legend
I live in Derbyshire now and still make trips down to PP although this season my patience has really been tested. Yesterday I made the short trip for a ground tour at Mansfield Town FC (currently 4th in league 1).
On display was their national conference title trophy and stuff from 2012/13 season when we beat them live on tv - wonder Ryno goal. I was chatting to staff there about that season and they commented on the Darts and asked where we were league wise these days. I informed them and they were shocked we had fallen so far but also commented that they really hope we will bounce back coz we made such an impact that season. That heartened me and I rewatched again the Mansfield highlights and then the Luton away victory game two weeks later - best away day ever !
How the fortunes of two clubs have varied eh with Luton too and a certain Wrexham who I am sure will also be in the championship.
Let’s all hope fellow Darts that we will get back up there soon eh COYD
Fantastic memories, Paul. What a season that was. I’ll be watching one of those Dartford greats, Lee Noble, take to the pitch for Brentwood at Felixstowe, this Saturday. I remember a couple of goals he banged in at Luton and Wrexham that season when he really shone out as a player of quality at the highest level outside the EFL.
I’ve caught up with Nobes a few times playing for the opposition since moving here and following The Seasiders. He always talks very fondly of the club although not so of the way things ended under Steve King. Mind you Alan Dowson desperately tried to encourage him back south of the river but Nobes definitely made the right choice in not accepting that poisoned chalice!
Whatever the result Saturday, hopefully I’ll be buying him a drink after the match to celebrate my birthday and no doubt recount that epic season once more.
Lee Noble - what a player - my boys were mascots (2007) when we played Brentwood and scored a worldy against us- we then signed Nobes. Rest is history. Total legend
Remember that. Down the CTC end. He was just warming up for the Welling play off final a few years later!
I didn’t think so at the time, but one has to wonder whether DFC’s anti-evolutionary downward spiral began with excluding the yoofs (yes, we are all aware that they weren’t literally excluded). This type of stale NIMBY-ism does seem to be at the heart of our plight.
With regard to the attendance figures and regardless of whether non-attending season ticket holders are counted, I think the fact that the stupid rule (that disallowed people from standing on the railings in the walkway) has been relaxed has made it harder to assess the attendance figures. The H&S argument that standing there would hamper evacuation procedures in the event of an emergency was always utterly nonsensical since the people in that area would be evacuating too and in truth, evacuation would be quicker, not slower. Standing one deep at the front (as seems to be happening now) does no harm whatsoever and poses zero health & safety risk. It does however, make it look like there are less people on the terraces. You can at times get several hundred people standing around the ground in that area and I think this makes it look like there are less people in the ground than there actually are, especially when compared to previous seasons. It is true that attendances have (understandably) dropped a few hundred, but I can't see any reason why the club would inflate the figures as has been inferred once or twice on this forum. That would be a daft thing to do and makes no logical sense. If the figures were being inflated it would look highly suspicious from a tax point of view if the crowd remained high but the income suddenly went down. The only explanation for that would be if we had suddenly inherited hundreds more child and/or concession admissions whilst simultaneously, the regular adult admissions were plummeting. That sort of discrepancy would look highly suspicious and might attract the interest of HMRC.
Spike wrote: Mon Nov 11, 2024 10:32 pm
With regard to the attendance figures and regardless of whether non-attending season ticket holders are counted, I think the fact that the stupid rule (that disallowed people from standing on the railings in the walkway) has been relaxed has made it harder to assess the attendance figures. The H&S argument that standing there would hamper evacuation procedures in the event of an emergency was always utterly nonsensical since the people in that area would be evacuating too and in truth, evacuation would be quicker, not slower. Standing one deep at the front (as seems to be happening now) does no harm whatsoever and poses zero health & safety risk. It does however, make it look like there are less people on the terraces. You can at times get several hundred people standing around the ground in that area and I think this makes it look like there are less people in the ground than there actually are, especially when compared to previous seasons. It is true that attendances have (understandably) dropped a few hundred, but I can't see any reason why the club would inflate the figures as has been inferred once or twice on this forum. That would be a daft thing to do and makes no logical sense. If the figures were being inflated it would look highly suspicious from a tax point of view if the crowd remained high but the income suddenly went down. The only explanation for that would be if we had suddenly inherited hundreds more child and/or concession admissions whilst simultaneously, the regular adult admissions were plummeting. That sort of discrepancy would look highly suspicious and might attract the interest of HMRC.
The relaxing of drinking in view of the pitch has also had a difference. There’s probably quite a few people watching from the bars, which will undoubtedly increase when there’s bad weather
Darren’s got a bit there. When the prohibition was lifted, I promised myself that gone were the days of missing 10/15 mins due to finishing pint on the balcony, however now the blinds stay up I hardly go out at all. Pretty lousy supporter really, perhaps it’s me who wants the moon on a stick.
DA Mikey wrote: Tue Nov 12, 2024 5:44 pm
Darren’s got a bit there. When the prohibition was lifted, I promised myself that gone were the days of missing 10/15 mins due to finishing pint on the balcony, however now the blinds stay up I hardly go out at all. Pretty lousy supporter really, perhaps it’s me who wants the moon on a stick.
Ha. I watched the first half last week from the ‘window’. Not a bad view actually. Just lacked atmosphere. And swearing.
The state of the club?
I have no idea .
My first game was Sittingbourne in 1958 so I have seen great,good ,average and poor teams in Dartford colours
Whether this present group of players and our management
team are going to get us promoted.... well it's a funny old game but I won't be putting any money on it.
Pennock has had to virtually start from scratch so he deserves to be given time
But.....I hope that I am proved wrong but I have seen every home game and imho.we are mid table at best .
I occasionally get asked "what has happened to the Darts"this season.
My Answer .......
We are rebuilding after being deservedly relegated.
I have no idea about the clubs financial position but imho we could be at this level for for sometime .
Tin hat on ...but that is how it looks to me.
The state of the club?
I have no idea .
My first game was Sittingbourne in 1958 so I have seen great,good ,average and poor teams in Dartford colours
Whether this present group of players and our management
team are going to get us promoted.... well it's a funny old game but I won't be putting any money on it.
Pennock has had to virtually start from scratch so he deserves to be given time
But.....I hope that I am proved wrong but I have seen every home game and imho.we are mid table at best .
I occasionally get asked "what has happened to the Darts"this season.
My Answer .......
We are rebuilding after being deservedly relegated.
I have no idea about the clubs financial position but imho we could be at this level for for sometime .
Tin hat on ...but that is how it looks to me.
Barry you have perfectly summed up my thoughts with a similar history my first game in 1953 not sure which one but I can only remember seeing Jeff Newstead at fullback with a receding hairline and thought he was too old to play football
Now I know what it's like with even less hair than him
I will hopefully buy a season ticket for next season whichever league we are in as I can't do without a bit of football
Babylon wrote: Fri Nov 15, 2024 3:51 pm
The state of the club?
I have no idea .
My first game was Sittingbourne in 1958 so I have seen great,good ,average and poor teams in Dartford colours
Whether this present group of players and our management
team are going to get us promoted.... well it's a funny old game but I won't be putting any money on it.
Pennock has had to virtually start from scratch so he deserves to be given time
But.....I hope that I am proved wrong but I have seen every home game and imho.we are mid table at best .
I occasionally get asked "what has happened to the Darts"this season.
My Answer .......
We are rebuilding after being deservedly relegated.
I have no idea about the clubs financial position but imho we could be at this level for for sometime .
Tin hat on ...but that is how it looks to me.
You’re perfectly entitled to say you think we could could be at this level for some time. It’s impossible to say you’re wrong.
The only issue I have is when people have no ambition and say we are where we expect to be and don’t think our club’s ambition should be to win the league or get as high as we can with a view to promotion.
I agree AP needs time.
To me you talk a lot of sense.
Well put Barry. I've seen far worse sides than the present one but you can't knock Ade for trying. In fact I'd say there is far more heart in the side than the squad we had here last season.
As said, just a few tweaks are needed and we could edge back up the table.
I know this wasn't a position I was referring to but today I visited Faversham Town FC against Snodland.
Warrilow has got a guy on the left wing that was tricky and so fast, very impressive.
Yes, you could say it was South East Counties league football and also it was against Snodland. But Snodland was no pushover for one of the top clubs in this division..
Shomotun was from Sevenoaks and we gave him a chance in a higher league . Two steps up.
I'm not telling Ade to take a look at him, I'm sure he doesn't need telling.
All I'm saying is there are lads in the lower divisions. This lad ran for 80 minutes and was very good.
Thing is I don't know his name as the programme I was sold had the Faversham Strike Force club players and not Faversham Town players??? And I moan about our programme.
Having said that maybe Ade should look at him. He had an excellent game.
Fancy having a fast, tricky winger who can get in a good cross too.
ozymandias wrote: Sat Nov 16, 2024 7:43 pm
I know this wasn't a position I was referring to but today I visited Faversham Town FC against Snodland.
Warrilow has got a guy on the left wing that was tricky and so fast, very impressive.
Yes, you could say it was South East Counties league football and also it was against Snodland. But Snodland was no pushover for one of the top clubs in this division..
Shomotun was from Sevenoaks and we gave him a chance in a higher league . Two steps up.
I'm not telling Ade to take a look at him, I'm sure he doesn't need telling.
All I'm saying is there are lads in the lower divisions. This lad ran for 80 minutes and was very good.
Thing is I don't know his name as the programme I was sold had the Faversham Strike Force club players and not Faversham Town players??? And I moan about our programme.
Having said that maybe Ade should look at him. He had an excellent game.
Fancy having a fast, tricky winger who can get in a good cross too.
Didn’t a certain Ryan Hayes & Davie Martin come from lower leagues when they joined us & what about a certain Cody McDonald.
Where did they go & what levels did they reach from lower level football. Give them a try, all 3 become club hero’s at DFC.
If I remember correctly - the first two from (now defunct) Slade Green and the other from Maldon & Tiptree (having been impressive for Witham against us the previous season).
The lack of communication about todays game and if it was on still due to weather needs raising at the forthcoming meeting - come on DFC - sort it out !
The feedback given out today seems to have been that as there was never any announcement about a pitch inspection being done or needing to be done then there wasn’t any need to announce or post that the game was on .
