Darts content with a period of consolidation

DARTFORD co-chairman Dave Skinner is looking for a period of consolidation as the club prepares for life in the Ryman Premier League, writes Stephen McCartney.

The Darts sealed promotion to the lucrative division after winning the Ryman League Division One North title last term and can now look forward to playing some mouth-watering fixtures at Princes Park.

Mr Skinner is relishing the prospect of welcoming Kent rivals Dover Athletic, Maidstone United, Tonbridge Angels, Ramsgate and Margate to Princes Park.

“It would be nice to maintain our average (gate) of what we’ve got now,” Mr Skinner told www.kentishfootball.co.uk today. “Eleven hundred to twelve hundred would be very useful.

“The thought is that if we’re not winning each week, even the most optimistic fan would say we’re not going to trounce sides like we did last year, but there may well be a dropping off of some home gates but the prospect of having a large away following coming to watch hopefully should balance that out.

“It’s a shame we lost Chelmsford and AFC (Wimbledon) - it would have been even better then.”

Mr Skinner revealed that there is no pressure on manager Tony Burman to bring back-to-back titles to the club.

“Hand on heart I would be happy with top half,” he said. “If you look at me purely as a footballing chairman my reply would be I would be happy with anything higher than 18^th place.

“There’s no reason why we shouldn’t end up in the top half of the table, although with the way the points went last year, you could be 18^th place and win two games and end up in sixth place!

“I’m happy to consolidate certainly for the first year and two, that’s the idea. You never want to push on too hard. You get there, you consolidate and you make sure you can then move up to the next step.

“You know us, we never make brash statements. There’s no point because they always come back and bite you eventually.”

When asked what he’s looking forward to the most, Mr Skinner replied: “A few new grounds, a few old friends.

“It will be interesting to see how some of the clubs that we used to play have moved on, all in all probably a better standard of football. Hopefully there’s a bit more football, some of them get in the trenches and fight.”

Meanwhile, Dartford are searching for a well supported club to play at Princes Park on Tuesday, 29^th July, after their pre-season friendly with Blue Square South newcomers Chelmsford City was cancelled.

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