If Darts go up I understand that it's probable that a few Darts players who don't want to play National League next season (due to the travelling and training demands - they have good careers away from football etc) will end up at Wings - if that happens then I can see Wings challenging for the Natl South title next season
I'm off to Bogner next Saturday - it's going to be very tense waiting to see how Havant get on - last time I felt this excited about a match was before the Sunderland playoff final
It's so tight up there. Fancy Havant to hammer Thurrock on Wednesday, especially as Thurrock are playing tonight. Concord will probably be safe too so not much for them to play for on Saturday.
You should smash Bognor though, so will be very interesting.
It's frustrating that Havant playing a knackered Thurrock team, having to cram in games at the end of the season, could affect the title. A big win and they'll have better GD going into Saturday
If Darts go up I understand that it's probable that a few Darts players who don't want to play National League next season (due to the travelling and training demands - they have good careers away from football etc) will end up at Wings - if that happens then I can see Wings challenging for the Natl South title next season
A shame in some ways, especially as Dartford will probably struggle to stay in the National League and may come down again - I assume there are no plans to go professional?
Went to Chester v Maidstone on Saturday. Decent game and comfortable for Maidstone. Must have been 300 Maidstone fans there and they were very noisy!! Really good turnout.
The National League play-off race is unbelievably tight. Anyone from 5th to 11th could sneak in now that 2nd-7th qualify.
Big games coming up for Ebbsfleet and Bromley. If Ebbsfleet win their next two games (away at Gateshead and Torquay) they will be guaranteed play-offs. If that happens then 6th, 7th, 8th could all finish on 75 points and be decided by goal difference with Bromley and AFC Fylde having the current advantage although Boreham Wood play bottom of the league Guiseley and could if they turn up could inflict quite the hammering.
AFC Fylde play Wrexham in their final game which is a big boost for Bromley.
Tranmere Rovers are in red hot form at the moment and must be odds on favourites for promotion from the Play-Offs but who knows how losing out on Automatic promotion at the weekend will have affected them.
Kick-offs on Saturday are all 12:30pm. It's going to be a fascinating afternoon.
Anybody going to Kingstonian v Dulwich on Thursday night? Massive game for the Hamlet, great little precursor to the Blackburn game too.
I'm there - and the Running Horses next to the river near the ground (Ks groundsharing at Leatherhead this season) is a corking pub. And if you get there early, hop on the bus down to Dorking to the Cobbetts micro pub - an amazing little place.
Dulwich now guaranteed second place in the Isthmian League after walloping Folkestone 3-0 on Saturday - Billericay four points ahead in first.
It's frustrating that Havant playing a knackered Thurrock team, having to cram in games at the end of the season, could affect the title. A big win and they'll have better GD going into Saturday
If Darts go up I understand that it's probable that a few Darts players who don't want to play National League next season (due to the travelling and training demands - they have good careers away from football etc) will end up at Wings - if that happens then I can see Wings challenging for the Natl South title next season
A shame in some ways, especially as Dartford will probably struggle to stay in the National League and may come down again - I assume there are no plans to go professional?
I'm hearing conflicting stories - some say we will, some say we won't - nothing official from the club that I know of - if we go up it will be a struggle - because of what happened in the 90's Darts won't allow a sugar daddy to come in like Ebbsfleet have, for fear of what would happen if they buggered off
For me the problems Darts would have - which are in a way nice problems, because they would have been promoted - would be a largely new squad, the finances to build that squad, the loss of some key players (e.g. Bradbrook) and the possibility of coming straight back down
The potential is there - we had over 1,600 on Saturday against Bath (they brought about 10 fans) - the ground holds over 4k and with a bit of a marketing push I reckon they could get circa 2k each home game - but not if they are getting spanked week in week out
Went to Chester v Maidstone on Saturday. Decent game and comfortable for Maidstone. Must have been 300 Maidstone fans there and they were very noisy!! Really good turnout.
They have a good away support.
I saw them at Gateshead last season and they had about 200 up there.
It's frustrating that Havant playing a knackered Thurrock team, having to cram in games at the end of the season, could affect the title. A big win and they'll have better GD going into Saturday
If Darts go up I understand that it's probable that a few Darts players who don't want to play National League next season (due to the travelling and training demands - they have good careers away from football etc) will end up at Wings - if that happens then I can see Wings challenging for the Natl South title next season
A shame in some ways, especially as Dartford will probably struggle to stay in the National League and may come down again - I assume there are no plans to go professional?
I'm hearing conflicting stories - some say we will, some say we won't - nothing official from the club that I know of - if we go up it will be a struggle - because of what happened in the 90's Darts won't allow a sugar daddy to come in like Ebbsfleet have, for fear of what would happen if they buggered off
For me the problems Darts would have - which are in a way nice problems, because they would have been promoted - would be a largely new squad, the finances to build that squad, the loss of some key players (e.g. Bradbrook) and the possibility of coming straight back down
The potential is there - we had over 1,600 on Saturday against Bath (they brought about 10 fans) - the ground holds over 4k and with a bit of a marketing push I reckon they could get circa 2k each home game - but not if they are getting spanked week in week out
This article from last summer did seem to suggest that going full time after promotion would be why the stalwarts would leave
Quite a scary decision for any club without a rich benefactor. Stay part time, you've got no chance of competing in the National. Go full time, that's a massive financial commitment, and you lose many of your players with decent jobs. And then face problems if you go down again.
Do any clubs in that position have a mix of part and full time players? Is it feasible in terms of training etc?
When Darts were in the National before (not the season they were relegated from it) they had posters advertising that they were the best part time club in the country (which was true as they finished in the top half of the league)
However, the National is financially a different world now - we have Danny Mills on loan from Ebbsfleet at the moment, and whilst they still pay part of his wages, I have it on good authority he is on £1,500 a week at Fleet, and he couldn't get in their side. I dread to think what first team regulars are getting at Fleet a week !!!
And Fleet are only tickling around the playoffs
However, whilst the financial reality of the National is a tough one, you have to try and get in there, otherwise you just become a club mid table in the South and support would probably ebb away
If Darts go up - great - it's been an exciting season and all fans want to celebrate a promotion, especially if it as champs - if a season in the National is a struggle and they go back down, ok it's been an experience - just don't bankrupt the club, try again, and continue bringing youngsters through from the successful academy
It's frustrating that Havant playing a knackered Thurrock team, having to cram in games at the end of the season, could affect the title. A big win and they'll have better GD going into Saturday
If Darts go up I understand that it's probable that a few Darts players who don't want to play National League next season (due to the travelling and training demands - they have good careers away from football etc) will end up at Wings - if that happens then I can see Wings challenging for the Natl South title next season
A shame in some ways, especially as Dartford will probably struggle to stay in the National League and may come down again - I assume there are no plans to go professional?
I'm hearing conflicting stories - some say we will, some say we won't - nothing official from the club that I know of - if we go up it will be a struggle - because of what happened in the 90's Darts won't allow a sugar daddy to come in like Ebbsfleet have, for fear of what would happen if they buggered off
For me the problems Darts would have - which are in a way nice problems, because they would have been promoted - would be a largely new squad, the finances to build that squad, the loss of some key players (e.g. Bradbrook) and the possibility of coming straight back down The potential is there - we had over 1,600 on Saturday against Bath (they brought about 10 fans) - the ground holds over 4k and with a bit of a marketing push I reckon they could get circa 2k each home game - but not if they are getting spanked week in week out
We shall see - exciting times if nothing else
Surely that's just because the team are top of the league and it was their last home game. The average is only 1k, so they'd have to be doing pretty well in the National to double their crowd. It was also a saturday when neither millwall or charlton were at home.
It's frustrating that Havant playing a knackered Thurrock team, having to cram in games at the end of the season, could affect the title. A big win and they'll have better GD going into Saturday
If Darts go up I understand that it's probable that a few Darts players who don't want to play National League next season (due to the travelling and training demands - they have good careers away from football etc) will end up at Wings - if that happens then I can see Wings challenging for the Natl South title next season
A shame in some ways, especially as Dartford will probably struggle to stay in the National League and may come down again - I assume there are no plans to go professional?
I'm hearing conflicting stories - some say we will, some say we won't - nothing official from the club that I know of - if we go up it will be a struggle - because of what happened in the 90's Darts won't allow a sugar daddy to come in like Ebbsfleet have, for fear of what would happen if they buggered off
For me the problems Darts would have - which are in a way nice problems, because they would have been promoted - would be a largely new squad, the finances to build that squad, the loss of some key players (e.g. Bradbrook) and the possibility of coming straight back down
The potential is there - we had over 1,600 on Saturday against Bath (they brought about 10 fans) - the ground holds over 4k and with a bit of a marketing push I reckon they could get circa 2k each home game - but not if they are getting spanked week in week out
This article from last summer did seem to suggest that going full time after promotion would be why the stalwarts would leave
Quite a scary decision for any club without a rich benefactor. Stay part time, you've got no chance of competing in the National. Go full time, that's a massive financial commitment, and you lose many of your players with decent jobs. And then face problems if you go down again.
I think Dover are part time.
If not they have only gone full time recently.
EDIT: It seems that SOME players are now full time at Dover.
I seem to remember The Darts getting no more than an about 1300 in the Conference a few years ago. but I agree with Flashheart that 2k is feasible with the right marketing. And has been said above the 90s experience has put the club right off any rich sugardaddy. Looking forward to Bognor.
Game of the day on Saturday despite me being an ebbsfleet fan... Is Woking v Dover... 4 months ago i saw Woking v Dagenham and Redbridge and Woking were about 5th after they won... They must win Saturday.
Game of the day on Saturday despite me being an ebbsfleet fan... Is Woking v Dover... 4 months ago i saw Woking v Dagenham and Redbridge and Woking were about 5th after they won... They must win Saturday.
4 wins in 30!
If they go down some very strong sides in the South next season, Woking, Torquay, Billericay (if they continue to spend), possibly Hereford and also Dartford if they don't go up.
I went to Welling last night for only the 2nd time this season and was surprised the way the team played considering the Manager and his assistant were playing. All seemed very very timid.
Antoine Semenyo is one to watch, looked a class above.
Comments
You should smash Bognor though, so will be very interesting.
Even as a Wings fan, I wish you good luck mate.
Big games coming up for Ebbsfleet and Bromley. If Ebbsfleet win their next two games (away at Gateshead and Torquay) they will be guaranteed play-offs. If that happens then 6th, 7th, 8th could all finish on 75 points and be decided by goal difference with Bromley and AFC Fylde having the current advantage although Boreham Wood play bottom of the league Guiseley and could if they turn up could inflict quite the hammering.
AFC Fylde play Wrexham in their final game which is a big boost for Bromley.
Tranmere Rovers are in red hot form at the moment and must be odds on favourites for promotion from the Play-Offs but who knows how losing out on Automatic promotion at the weekend will have affected them.
Kick-offs on Saturday are all 12:30pm. It's going to be a fascinating afternoon.
Dulwich now guaranteed second place in the Isthmian League after walloping Folkestone 3-0 on Saturday - Billericay four points ahead in first.
(And belatedly, seeing @ElfsborgAddick and @Arsenetatters was the only good thing about that Tonbridge match!)
For me the problems Darts would have - which are in a way nice problems, because they would have been promoted - would be a largely new squad, the finances to build that squad, the loss of some key players (e.g. Bradbrook) and the possibility of coming straight back down
The potential is there - we had over 1,600 on Saturday against Bath (they brought about 10 fans) - the ground holds over 4k and with a bit of a marketing push I reckon they could get circa 2k each home game - but not if they are getting spanked week in week out
We shall see - exciting times if nothing else
You can have him.
I saw them at Gateshead last season and they had about 200 up there.
This article from last summer did seem to suggest that going full time after promotion would be why the stalwarts would leave
Quite a scary decision for any club without a rich benefactor. Stay part time, you've got no chance of competing in the National. Go full time, that's a massive financial commitment, and you lose many of your players with decent jobs. And then face problems if you go down again.
However, the National is financially a different world now - we have Danny Mills on loan from Ebbsfleet at the moment, and whilst they still pay part of his wages, I have it on good authority he is on £1,500 a week at Fleet, and he couldn't get in their side. I dread to think what first team regulars are getting at Fleet a week !!!
And Fleet are only tickling around the playoffs
However, whilst the financial reality of the National is a tough one, you have to try and get in there, otherwise you just become a club mid table in the South and support would probably ebb away
If Darts go up - great - it's been an exciting season and all fans want to celebrate a promotion, especially if it as champs - if a season in the National is a struggle and they go back down, ok it's been an experience - just don't bankrupt the club, try again, and continue bringing youngsters through from the successful academy
If not they have only gone full time recently.
EDIT: It seems that SOME players are now full time at Dover.
http://www.doverathletic.com/news/from-the-chairman/
In other news; Water is wet.
If they go down some very strong sides in the South next season, Woking, Torquay, Billericay (if they continue to spend), possibly Hereford and also Dartford if they don't go up.
Antoine Semenyo is one to watch, looked a class above.
https://www.bcfc.co.uk/news/semenyo-goes-pro-and-heads-to-bath/