Get behind the team, Dover chairman tells fans

Dover Athletic chairman Jim Parmenter has told fans: Please lay off the boos and help us get promoted, reports Justin Allen - reports www.doverathletic.com

Jim, his fellow directors, the first-team management, journalists, Croydon Athletic fans and a number of Dover supporters, could not believe it when boos rung out at the final whistle following their 0-0 draw in Surrey on Tuesday night..

It was their third clean sheet in four Ryman One matches - and against a Croydon Athletic side now unbeaten in seven outings and who had won their previous four games.

It also came on the backend of a good 2-1 win against Bashley on Saturday, a match which saw Whites dominate and fight back from a goal down to maintain their unbeaten home record in the league.

A section of Dover supporters were calling for boss Clive Walker to be sacked. Then a number of fans posted messages on the club's fans' forum, attacking him, his players and the club. The board of directors suspended the forum on Wednesday but it is now back up and running.

Mr Parmenter said: "The board agreed that the forum needed to be take off the official site.

"It is the opinion of the board that the constant vitriolic posts aimed directly at the manager, players and club itself have now reached a point where there is clear damage being done to the club's attempt to gain promotion by a few of the very people who claim to be its supporters.

"These people are creating an environment for supporters from other clubs to come onto our website and ridicule our team.

"Not only are one or two individuals inciting fans to chant negatives from the stands - but they are fermenting unjustified negativity towards the club.

"If we are to gain promotion we have to use all motivational tools at our disposal. Constant slagging of players and the management will only serve to harm our efforts.

"I was at the game on Tuesday night along with fellow directors Steve Williams and David Weber. What I witnessed was a hard-fought game played at quick pace by two committed teams.

"Frankly, when I heard the booing of the team at the end, I was astounded. What these individuals expect to see is beyond me. We're playing in Ryman One, not the World Cup."

Since Gary Bellmany took over from Bill Williams in 2001, every manager has been under huge pressure. Also since the end of the 2000-01 season, the club have had more than one manager every season, apart from 2002-03 when Clive Walker led Whites to third in the Dr Martens Premier (then second tier of non-league).

All the other seasons have seen us tumble from Conference National to Ryman One - and crippled with huge debts.

But, since last January under a new regime of directors, the club have cleared nearly £250,000 of debt, seen attendance figures rise by more than 20 per cent and reverse the trend on-the-pitch so that we are challenging for promotion, rather than fighting against relegation.

Yet, despite these near miracle achievements during the past 12 months, some supporters have chosen to project negativity.

Jim added: "Negativity breeds negativity - and I won't have my players and manager de-motivated."

Midfielder Danny Chapman said: "I can't understand why fans boo. It doesn't help the team at all. I am an experienced player and can deal with that.

"But some of the younger lads in the side are affected by it and supporters should really get behind us because we're trying hard to get promoted."

WhitesLive commentator Tom Crawley, who has watched and covered every match this season, said: "Last Saturday, we played one of the form sides in the division and completly controlled the game from start to finish and won 2-1.

"Last night we went away on a cold January night and got a point, which could have been three but for a disallowed well-taken goal from Buster Smissen - again against the form side of the division at the moment.

"After the game, a Croyden official said to me that they have not played a better side this season and were glad to cling on for a draw - and, after Saturday's game, the Bashley secretary said that our second-half performance was the best he has seen by a long way this campaign.

"When I heard the boos at the final whistle last night, I couldn't believe it. I feel things are turning around for the better on-the-pitch and Clive should be credited for that.

"It is about time that ALL Dover fans got behind the team, instead of indulging in the latest fashion of getting on everybody's back. This time last year we nearly went bust and fans were saying they just wanted a team to support."

Supporters Trust chairman Paul Harrison added: "Booing and slagging off everything is just counter-productive. It doesn't make any sense.

"Obviously, fans are entitled to their views and football is a game of opinions. But for some people to incite others to boo a team of players, who last night worked very hard, was out of order.

"I think we can be proud of what has been achieved in the last 12 months. It really is a minor miracle from being so heavily in debt and constantly battling against relegation to being in a position to see daylight on the debt front and challenge for promotion."

Clive's position is not up for debate as the club enters the run-in.

Jim said: "This club keeps sacking managers and we're determined to have stability.

"Constantly changing things all the time is no good to anyone. Clive has been given the objective to get us promoted - we are still very much in the frame for that - and we're going to give him all our support as we enter the business end of the season. There's half a season of matches to play yet."

Parmenter, whose club travel to Kingstonian tomorrow, and his fellow directors and Clive will be happy to answer questions at a special club open evening on Thursday, February 16 at the Centre Spot (7.30pm).

The club want all fans to feel part of it - and to help turn it from a tier four club to one back on the up. Frank and honest answers are guaranteed. We are all in this together!