Darts criticise Eagles over team-sheet farce

CRYSTAL PALACE may be a professional football club, but they didn't act that way when they visited Dartford for a pre-season friendly tonight, writes Stephen McCartney.

The Eagles won 2-0, thanks to goals from James Dayton and James Comley, but their antics before the game were more of a park side than a club that ply their trade in the Coca-Cola Championship.

On Tuesday night, for Dartford’s game against Charlton Athletic, watched by a crowd of 2,210, things, for a pre-season friendly, went well.

Peter Martin, Dartford’s secretary, wrote down the team-line ups, on two official team-sheets, one for the first half and the home club’s second half team.

Despite the Charlton Athletic side being written down on a piece of paper, thanks to the help from the man who operates the official club website, things went well when identifying players.

The same thing, however, cannot be said of their local rivals, Crystal Palace.

Dartford’s secretary, once again, wrote down the Dartford squad on an official team-sheet, with a list of un-numbered substitutions - but during the half-time interval, the second half side was written on half a sheet of paper.

However, what the Eagles’ did was something out of park football - maybe from Dog & Duck FC.

In goal was “N Martin”, number three was a “K Sansom” and at number seven was “A Plum”.

Now come on! Everybody knows Nigel Martin left Selhurst Park years ago and the same for Kenny Sansom. And “A Plum” is just insulting to everybody at Dartford Football Club.

On receiving the team-sheet, www.kentishfootball.co.uk initially decided to list the surnames only of the fifteen names listed, but later removed all the names to await clarification.

And in the tunnel, after the game, I finally got a list of eleven names, well, ten and a half, from the female physio, but no details on their six substitutes.

But Jeremy Kite, the leader of Dartford Borough Council, admitted he was not impressed by the disrespect shown by the visiting club, who in January 2006 paid Dartford £25,000 for winger Dave Martin, who has since moved to Millwall.

“I don’t want to lose my sense of humour, but I thought the Palace practical joke was quite disrespectful to both the host club, John (Hall) the (public address) announcer and the fans who might have been quite interested to learn who they had paid to watch,” he wrote on the Darts fans’ forum - www.dartfordfootballclub.co.uk.

“Having said that, the performance of some of their players probably warranted a false name or two.”

Despite being FIVE LEAGUES above Ryman Premier League Darts, Crystal Palace failed to impress.

But the Football Association must do something about pre-season friendlies.

Teams should list their players names on official team sheets (not to be sent to their League but handed to members of the press etc) and players should keep to the allotted shirt numbers listed - or clubs/managers should inform us of any changes.