Darts chairman looks forward to bumper pay day

DARTFORD co-chairman Dave Skinner says Saturday’s eagerly-awaited showdown with arch-rivals Maidstone United is NOT all-ticket, writes Stephen McCartney.

www.kentishfootball.co.uk believes a crowd of over 2,000 will flock through the turnstiles for the Stones’ first ever visit to Princes Park.

But Mr Skinner explained that games at Princes Park are only made all-ticket, if the club anticipates crowds exceeding that figure.

And he promises fans that everyone WILL gain entry to the ground if more than two thousand people turn up for the Ryman Premier League clash.

“The rule is if we anticipate the gate to be over 2,000, it goes all ticket,” Mr Skinner told www.kentishfootball.co.uk tonight. “We estimate 1,800, then obviously we’re okay.”

The Darts, seventh in the Ryman Premier League table, lock horns with the Stones, in eighth, and both sides are level on 37 points.

Both Kent giants are just four points adrift of Carshalton Athletic, the side that occupy the final play-off berth.

It has the makings of a game that NO-ONE should miss.

“That’s right, our rise up the table has added even more importance to the game,” added Mr Skinner.

“We’ll just make our normal arrangements for a large crowd. We don’t anticipate any problems. The feedback we’re getting is a lot of Maidstone fans are equally going to enjoy their first visit to Princes Park, even through they missed out two yeas ago (as that game was played at Thurrock).”

The Darts are relishing the chance of maximising the potential that only a Kent derby can bring.

“It’s our second (home) Kent derby on a Saturday, all the ones we’ve had before have been midweek,” bemoaned Mr Skinner.

“We’re a bit disappointed getting the (home) derbies on a midweek rather than on a Saturday.”

The club will benefit from a lucrative day, especially as both clubs have excellent support.

“For instance, the last game of last season when we collected the trophy, we had two and a half thousand,” added the chairman.

“There’s nothing to prevent us going over the 2,000 - it’s just if it’s planned to be two thousand (then it’s all ticket).”

Thirteen points from their last five league games have assisted with the Darts’ rise up the table.

“Obviously it took us a little while to adjust to Ryman Premier football and Tony (Burman) tinkered with the team in the first couple of months, “ said Mr Skinner.

“Recently we’ve hit a new system and everyone seems to be slotting into it. I would be stupid to say we’ve been brilliant, but we’ve been workmanlike and getting results, which is probably better than being flamboyant and not getting results.

Star striker, Cody McDonald, who has scored 19 goals in 16 starts for Dartford, trained at Coca-Cola Championship club Norwich City for a two-day period earlier in the week, and Mr Skinner is keen to hear from Football League clubs who would like to make a bid.

“He trained with Norwich, Sunday and Monday he was there,” he said. “We’re basically waiting for anybody to make a bid.

“We had one very late bid a few weeks back from a Football League club, but that was testing the water and obviously we’re waiting to see what other bids come in.

“There’s no rush from our point of view. It a good enough bid comes in and Cody wants to go then we won’t stand in his way. The only (issue) we’ve got it should be a League club and not lower.”

If the Essex based striker does leave for a Football League club, it will be the second player that manager Tony Burman has taken from lower leagues to sell for a profit.

Burman picked up winger Dave Martin from local Kent League side Slade Green and sold him to Crystal Palace for £25,000, plus other benefits, two years ago.

And Mr Skinner added, “It’s good for the club we’re making a profit (on players), it’s also good for the players when they come to us if they’re good enough they will be picked up.”

www.kentishfootball.co.uk will be covering this game.

Visit Dartford’s websites: www.dartfordfc.co.uk & www.dartfordfootballclub.co.uk

Dartford v Maidstone United
Ryman Premier League
Saturday 31^st January 2009
Kick Off 3:00pm
At Princes Park Stadium, Grassbanks, Darenth Road, Dartford, Kent DA1 1RT