The Dart(s) Board

Posted: **Fri Oct 11, 2024 4:48 pm**

Mark Sweet wrote: Fri Oct 11, 2024 3:35 pm
KSTDART wrote: Fri Oct 11, 2024 1:53 pm Definitely do not think they have been let go for budget reasons, I expect its to make room for more incomings to strengthen the squad . It needed doing unfortunately
Then why get rid of Allen who wasn't given a fair chance, and when he did come off the bench usually ended up with a goal contribution.

Plenty of players who have started consistently who at the moment aren't good enough.

I’ve come down from Derbyshire for tomorrow and am literally frightened about what the hell is going on at the club…..do I even want to go to the game I’m thinking

I care so much about DFC but this really worrying me …..my old man who passed on in 2021 must be sighing with frustration as what we have become

after the 2012/13 season and Luton away especially he really thought we’d get league 2 like Bromley have

Posted: **Fri Oct 11, 2024 5:05 pm**

GREAT MANAGEMENT ADE , you sign no new players for 6 weeks , you lose 5 out of 6 games playing the same 11 , you then panic and bring in a couple of players their clubs dont rate , we still get beaten 4-0 at Billericay and then you unload Ben Allen , the one of the few players with "Balls and a bit of a nasty streak " without giving him a chance , at least the flapper of a GK has gone but still 1 left who aint good enough and its suggested that the departures didnt form part of your long term plans at Dartford , keep this up Ade and you aint got any either ????

Good luck to Ben Allen , will be watching how he does

I have NOT been able to watch the Darts for the last 6 weeks [ illness] all I can say is " Lucky Old Me " and good luck to the sufferers !!!!!!!!!

Jonty : Liked your post , successful Clubs[ Businesses ] need a very hands on approach , I wonder who is "Boss Man " covering for Chairman Steve's current abode ?????????

Posted: **Fri Oct 11, 2024 5:21 pm**

Worried Mr Canary?
I am not worried but I am baffled how this club has got its main team in such a mess
Imo we have nowhere near enough quality to even get near the play offs.
The natives are not happy .
This team are a not performing very well.
As I have said before ,we have the stadium,the facilities and the support but imho our squad is below average and we are losing to teams that we would have thumped a few seasons ago.
The worrying thing is I don't see things improving under this manager ....at best we are ordinary at worst I dread to think.

Posted: **Fri Oct 11, 2024 5:45 pm**

What I don’t understand is we’ve released a young fit player in Ben Allan who can score goals as he’s already proved YET we’ve kept hold of Dwayne who is injury prone, has hardly played at all and then gets himself a stupid red card so is banned for 3 games for grabbing the ref when he’s only been on the pitch about 10 minutes. He didn’t even hardly play pre season due to injury, he is a waste of space, time & money, get rid Ben Allan was a far better player.

I just don’t get what Ady is playing at at present.

Posted: **Fri Oct 11, 2024 6:46 pm**

The 5th Searcher wrote: Fri Oct 11, 2024 5:45 pm What I don’t understand is we’ve released a young fit player in Ben Allan who can score goals as he’s already proved YET we’ve kept hold of Dwayne who is injury prone, has hardly played at all and then gets himself a stupid red card so is banned for 3 games for grabbing the ref when he’s only been on the pitch about 10 minutes. He didn’t even hardly play pre season due to injury, he is a waste of space, time & money, get rid Ben Allan was a far better player.

I just don’t get what Ady is playing at at present.

I’m fairly sure Duane and Jordan Greenidge came recommended from a former manager who is still on the board.

Posted: **Fri Oct 11, 2024 6:52 pm**

The club is going backwards so quickly it’s hard to see where it stops.
Pennock wasn’t ever the first choice, and it appears half his signings weren't his first choice either.
People talk about not mentioning the budget, but that’s ultimately the difference in why we are signing the calibre of player we’ve got.
The club cannot continue to operate with no external income coming in, we are a million miles away from being able to compete at the top end of the south.

Posted: **Fri Oct 11, 2024 7:15 pm**

Kermo18 wrote: Fri Oct 11, 2024 6:46 pm
The 5th Searcher wrote: Fri Oct 11, 2024 5:45 pm What I don’t understand is we’ve released a young fit player in Ben Allan who can score goals as he’s already proved YET we’ve kept hold of Dwayne who is injury prone, has hardly played at all and then gets himself a stupid red card so is banned for 3 games for grabbing the ref when he’s only been on the pitch about 10 minutes. He didn’t even hardly play pre season due to injury, he is a waste of space, time & money, get rid Ben Allan was a far better player.

I just don’t get what Ady is playing at at present.
I’m fairly sure Duane and Jordan Greenidge came recommended from a former manager who is still on the board.

Is he the same one that was a big part in us going down last season?
That's what happens when he is still interfering in the club well past his time.

And also when you bring in a manager that does not have the contacts required to succeed

Posted: **Fri Oct 11, 2024 7:29 pm**

Kermo18 wrote: Fri Oct 11, 2024 6:52 pm The club is going backwards so quickly it’s hard to see where it stops.
Pennock wasn’t ever the first choice, and it appears half his signings weren't his first choice either.
People talk about not mentioning the budget, but that’s ultimately the difference in why we are signing the calibre of player we’ve got.
The club cannot continue to operate with no external income coming in, we are a million miles away from being able to compete at the top end of the south.

That's why relegation can't be blamed solely at Dowson's door. Not reaching the play-offs, yes.
But the story of last season was based on a trilogy of disastrous managerial appointments.
Following Danny Scopes' change of heart a lot of managers would have walked away rather than accept an appointment on the rebound.
I can understand Ade Pennock's decision to take the job part-time to spend quality time with his family after managing abroad. I understand he lives locally too so managing at DFC probably suits him down to the ground at the moment.

Posted: **Fri Oct 11, 2024 7:31 pm**

Personally, l think there's been a bit of an over-reaction to this news. I'm with Parky, in that with the wholesale changes Ade has had to make during the summer, it was inevitable that not everyone would work out.

Kerbey was only a short term loanee to cover an injury anyway, and with respect him, he has hardly set the world alight with his performances recently.

Caiger was, judging by his track record, a bit of a gamble, and clearly Ade didn't rate him once he had seen a bit more of him.

Allen was clearly miffed to be released, but like he says, that's football. I already guessed that Ade didn't particularly fancy him, because he never started him! And when he signed another forward last week, the writing was on the wall for Allen.

Like everyone else, including Ade, I'm very disappointed with the last few results, particularly after a reasonably promising start. I do feel though, that to compare him with the idiot Dowson is quite unjustified.

He strikes me as a man of integrity and has proven experience, and l am confident that with the backing of the board, he can turn it around.

All these conspiracy theories and sniping about Ade's lack of contacts (how on earth do any of us know that?!!!) and alleged interference by a board member (ditto) is pretty pathetic to be honest, as well as disrespectful.

Posted: **Fri Oct 11, 2024 8:19 pm**

Well, as ever, I only comment on what I see. And what I see is very reminiscent of what I saw not a long time ago. I’m concerned and I’m calling it early. We need to stop this rot before it spreads uncontrollably. Some of our local rivals are distancing themselves way above, and others are on the move to overtake us. This is Dartford Football Club. Our ‘bar’ has to be higher. No exception, or crowds will quickly be below 500, (regardless of what is announced!) Good players will turn us down. (So will mediocre ones.) We need massive change and I’m now starting to think it is beyond mere team management and/or coaching. It would be very easy to collapse.

Posted: **Sat Oct 12, 2024 12:03 am**

Dave T wrote: Fri Oct 11, 2024 7:31 pm Personally, l think there's been a bit of an over-reaction to this news. I'm with Parky, in that with the wholesale changes Ade has had to make during the summer, it was inevitable that not everyone would work out.

Kerbey was only a short term loanee to cover an injury anyway, and with respect him, he has hardly set the world alight with his performances recently.

Caiger was, judging by his track record, a bit of a gamble, and clearly Ade didn't rate him once he had seen a bit more of him.

Allen was clearly miffed to be released, but like he says, that's football. I already guessed that Ade didn't particularly fancy him, because he never started him! And when he signed another forward last week, the writing was on the wall for Allen.

Like everyone else, including Ade, I'm very disappointed with the last few results, particularly after a reasonably promising start. I do feel though, that to compare him with the idiot Dowson is quite unjustified.

He strikes me as a man of integrity and has proven experience, and l am confident that with the backing of the board, he can turn it around.

All these conspiracy theories and sniping about Ade's lack of contacts (how on earth do any of us know that?!!!) and alleged interference by a board member (ditto) is pretty pathetic to be honest, as well as disrespectful.

Totally agree with this. An over-reaction to the release of 3 players though I do despair at Ben Allen’s release. So much conjecture on here about the clubs budget, commitment of the Board, ability of the manager, la la la! A win tomorrow and most peoples views will change, that’s how fickle some views can be.

Let’s see what happens hereon in shall we!?

Posted: **Sat Oct 12, 2024 12:40 pm**

Mark Sweet wrote: Fri Oct 11, 2024 3:35 pm
KSTDART wrote: Fri Oct 11, 2024 1:53 pm Definitely do not think they have been let go for budget reasons, I expect its to make room for more incomings to strengthen the squad . It needed doing unfortunately
Then why get rid of Allen who wasn't given a fair chance, and when he did come off the bench usually ended up with a goal contribution.

Plenty of players who have started consistently who at the moment aren't good enough.

I don’t know , I do not see what goes on behind the scenes or what happens in training, do you ?

Posted: **Sat Oct 12, 2024 2:08 pm**

Posted: **Sun Oct 13, 2024 11:25 am**

You can still successfully do things in a tight budget so long as you plan carefully.

I can't imagine that Cray Valley PM have a big budget but they are doing well over the last couple of years.

Taunton, like us, were relegated. They have regrouped and slashed their budget to live within their means. Have a squad of youth and experience. All the young players came from lower divisions and are hungry. They had a sticky start to the season but now they have found their feet are 10 games unbeaten and nearly beat Maidenhead from the National League in the FA Cup yesterday - they have another chance in the replay. Given that Taunton had winding up orders last season to even be playing is an achievement in itself. To be in the draw for the 1st Round of the FA Cup is outstanding.

With our facilities at Dartford we should be able to do the same

Posted: **Sun Oct 13, 2024 3:59 pm**

The Non League Football Show podcast had Rich Luffman on this week. The Taunton manager was interviewed about rebuilding the squad etc. Taunton’s rebuild was caused by off field issues (financial), whilst ours on field. Be interesting to see where we both end up at the end of the season.

Posted: **Sun Oct 13, 2024 7:03 pm**

The 5th Searcher wrote: Fri Oct 11, 2024 5:45 pm What I don’t understand is we’ve released a young fit player in Ben Allan who can score goals as he’s already proved YET we’ve kept hold of Dwayne who is injury prone, has hardly played at all and then gets himself a stupid red card so is banned for 3 games for grabbing the ref when he’s only been on the pitch about 10 minutes. He didn’t even hardly play pre season due to injury, he is a waste of space, time & money, get rid Ben Allan was a far better player.

I just don’t get what Ady is playing at at present.

I’m just pleased we didn’t repeat last years folly of signing aging injury prone forwards who would potentially only get a dozen games between then due to not being fit and scoring even less goals…….oh that’s what we appear to have done here again

Posted: **Mon Oct 14, 2024 8:17 am**

Did Ben Allen really get a chance being sent on for the last 5-10 minutes, reminds me of Dan Roberts and going further back Jack Barham who went on to score goals for Maidstone. Only time will tell.

Posted: **Mon Oct 14, 2024 1:44 pm**

I solely put the blame on our relegation on Dowson. It wasn't down to last season alone, he had two seasons to do what he did at Dartford .
The first season he put a lot of it down to an inherited side and couldn't wait for the summer to get his own players in. The first season consisted of two great performances against the neighbours which was the highlight of the season.
Then in the summer he did get his own players in and what a shower they turned out to be. Burman didn't have a chance of turning things around and eventually nor did Pennock.
Yes, the Board were slow in getting a manager in with any time to sort out a disaster waiting to happen. By the time Pennock was in place the general concensus with most of the squad was ''let's get this over with and get out'.
And yet Dowson is still banging his own drum.

Posted: **Tue Oct 15, 2024 7:07 pm**

Posted: **Tue Oct 15, 2024 7:22 pm**

The signing of Marc-Anthony Okoye is a bit of a surprise considering that he retired from playing football 5 years ago due to a knee issue. He has previous experience with Bromley, Braintree and Dulwich Hamlet.

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