8thjune05

Burman:  Everyone is 100% behind me

TONY BURMAN is delighted to have been given the opportunity to lead his beloved Dartford again next season, writes Stephen McCartney.

The Southern League Division One East club issued a statement late on Tuesday night.  It read: "After a comprehensive selection process, it was decided by Dartford FC to make offers to the two best candidates.  

"Unfortunately, neither person was able to accept the position due to outside factors.  Therefore it has been decided to put into place, the previously stated Plan B."

Burman, a club director, took over as caretaker manager following Tommy Sampson's resignation in January, and he got the nod from club officials after the two candidates - whose names remain top secret - declined to take the role.

"We wanted an experienced manager, who started with a club in trouble and managed to build them up into Conference standards," said Burman, in an EXCLUSIVE interview with www.kentishfootball.co.uk - the first to bring the news on Burman's appointment late on Tuesday night.

"We were fortunate enough to have two managers to come under that category and were very impressive when we spoke to them.

"I can assure everybody that the reasons for them to turn down the jobs were not financial as they were looking at prospects for the future of the club."

And Dartford's future is looking very impressive with one more season groundsharing with their Nationwide Conference neighbours, Gravesend & Northfleet at Stonebridge Road before they move back home to Dartford into their own stadium at Princes Park for the 2006-07 campaign.

Meanwhile, Burman has appointed Dartford "legend" Steve Robinson as part of his management team.

Robinson, who made a record 653 appearances for the Darts', took the opportunity to assist Chelmsford based Barry Lakin at rivals Erith & Belvedere last summer.  However, when Lakin left Park View Road in January to become number two at Ryman Premier League side Heybridge Swifts, wanting to be closer to home having become a father for the first time, Robinson was appointed manager.

But the Deres suffered relegation into the Kent League in Robinson's first spell as a manager but Burman has high hopes for him.

"I am delighted that Steve Robinson has said yes to my requests to come and join me," Burman in his third spell as manager said.  "I feel with the disappointment of his first managerial experience will make him an even better person and he'll be up for the challenge of helping Dartford Football Club."

And Paul Sawyer was the first person Burman spoke to regarding Robinson's appointment.  "I always wanted to bring in another person to work alongside myself and Paul," he admitted.

Burman is relishing the opportunity of building a side ready for their Southern League Division One East campaign, which gets underway on Saturday 13th August 2005.

"The players reaction has been excellent.  I've spoken or text most of the players and they now all want to report back for pre-season training on the 5th July," he said.

And speaking about perspective signings, he added: "I have spoken to several players before the announcement that I was going to be the manager.  

"I will be following up those calls to see if there is any chance of the players joining us for pre-season training."

There has been a "feel good factor" around the club since Burman has been at the helm but he warns fans not to expect too much.

"When I took over with 15 games to go, I said on previous occasions the whole club got behind the team and that's how I remember the good times at Dartford.

"The feel good factor will be there.  I'm not going to predict what we will do next season.  But I would like to think we could stay in the top half of the table on a regular basis."

Burman, however, has made personal sacrifices to stay on as manager but has been given the all-clear by the people close to his heart.

"I've always put into plan that there was a possibility that I would be manager," he revealed.  "Over the last two months I've tried to put "Plan B" into operation.

"My family are 100 behind me and wanted me to take the job.  I have to, however, sort out my work commitments."

And Robinson is delighted to be back at the club he loves.

"It's always been my one and only club, I would say," he admitted.  "Having made 653 appearances, which is a record holding appearance number, as well as managing the reserve team, winning the Kent League second division, I always had intentions of returning to the club in some capacity or another.

"When I got the opportunity to return and work alongside Tony, who I've known for 20 odd years, there were no second thoughts."

Despite a poor start to his managerial career, suffering relegation with Erith & Belvedere on the last day of the season, the 41-year-old was keeping tabs on the situation at Dartford following his departure.

"This has developed only over the last few weeks," he said.  "I was aware that the managerial position at Dartford was very much under review and was keeping a close eye on the situation.  Naturally, I would, having previous associations and the love for the club."

Robinson admitted he has leant many things during his four month stint at Park View Road.

"To be relegated and be placed in the relegation position in the final game of the season would be a big enough blow for anybody, as the likes of Harry Redknapp and Iain Dowie would have felt.

"However, there were a lot of factors involved during that 16 game run at Erith - that were occurring behind the scenes, which obviously weren't taken into account."

Robinson does have the experience to pass onto the younger Dartford players.  "Not only making that number of appearances for Dartford, I played in the Conference for Welling United for five seasons, made over 100 appearances for Ashford Town - making a total of over 1,000 games in non-league football.

"So in terms of experience in the field, the experience has built up over a span of 20 odd years, after making my debut for Dartford at the age of 16 in 1980.  Strangely enough alongside Tony Burman.

Robinson, however, predicts a bright future for the club.  "I would agree with Tony in terms of stability of a midtable place, but that said, with the potential that the club has got around the corner, I'm sure exciting times are ahead and I see no reason why that can't happen on the pitch."

And he isn't wasting any time with improving the squad.  He revealed: "It's a little bit too early to say but I have been in touch with one or two players already, who have agreed to join us for pre-season training.  So naturally competition for places within the side should be quite fierce."

And one last thing.  "Naturally I'm delighted to be returning to the one club I love.  I've got the greatest amount of respect to the people behind the scenes in terms of their professionalism and also the respect for the set of supporters that I consider to be the best in Kent."

Welcome home Robbo.

On a sad note, however, Burman paid tribute to former Dartford striker, Micky Dingwall, who passed away recently, aged 49.

"Condolences to Micky's family," he said.  "I played for Dartford under John Still alongside Micky and it's a sad, sad loss.  Again it puts football into perspective."