Ryman Shock Decision: We want Darts in Ryman One SOUTH

Tuesday 19th June 2007

Kent football fans have shared their disgust over the decision to switch Dartford from the Ryman League Division One South to the Northern Division against their will, writes Stephen McCartney.

www.kentishfootball.co.uk contacted Dartford’s co-chairman Dave Skinner at 7:17pm tonight to see if the Princes Park club are going to appeal against the division.

“Still shocked and somewhat confused about what happened,” he said.

“I’m just going to go into a board meeting to decide that.”

One thing is for certain, however, is that Kent football fans are up in arms to move the Darts into another division - a less supported one than Ryman One South.

“What an absolutely bizarre and farcical situation,” said Alex Hickey, an Ashford Town supporter. “It’s this sort of carrying on that makes non-league football look ridiculous.

“With all these off-pitch relegations, teams that play by the rules are being shafted and those that have proven to be not good enough are being rewarded.

“It is ridiculous that had Ashford Town performed much worse last season, there would have been no penalty - we’d still be a Ryman One South club.

“I’m sure the supporters of Corinthian-Casuals are delighted but poor old Dartford have been bounced around again, to the cost of the other Kent clubs who all lose a good county derby with a lucrative gate.

“Rather than being stuck with the ridiculous 21-23 team split, would it just not have made more sense to relegate Corinthian-Casuals to get us to 22-teams and promote a geographically acceptable team to Division One North?

“Surely there must be a team just bubbling under with the ground, the ability and desire?

“Why reward those teams who have not performed and ignore those who just missed out?”

Dave Warner, a Dartford fan who lives in Herne Bay, added: “Absolutely gutted as is (Tony) Burman. We have been treated like a ping-pong ball, shunted this way and that.

“And it’s worse for me personally, as I come from Herne Bay.”

Cray Wanderers supporter, Toby Shillibeer said: “Hopefully Dartford will set up a petition like AFC Wimbledon and stay in the division.

“Dartford have by far the nicest stadiums and one of the nicest pitches.

“As a Cray Wanderers fan I enjoyed going to Princes Park last time and it is one of the away games that I most enjoy going to.

“The Ryman League and the FA need to sort out the pyramid because at the moment they are scraping relegation for most clubs.

“What I don’t understand is that there are three feeder leagues, Combined Counties, Sussex and Kent but only two relegation places. This year they avoided a muck up thanks to Hayes and Yeading merging.”

Maidstone United fan Dave Usborne, said: “I’m not a Darts fan, in fact I support Maidstone, but this decision seems a complete and utter stitch up to me.

“How can a team build up any affinity for the League it’s in if it has to change every year?

“Of course, the northern (division) clubs were going to vote for Dartford, they can’t wait to get their grubby little fingers on the extra income from Darts fans.

“If the League couldn’t stick with it’s original decision, then it should have been Corinthian-Casuals. A club that is reprieved from relegation (two years running), should be grateful to accept whatever place is available, without other clubs moving to accommodate them.”

“I feel most let down by the backward politics of the decision to move Dartford to the northern division,” said Matthew White, a Dartford season ticket holder.

“The attendances at Dartford this season have been an inspiration to lower league football, so much for me that I have already purchased a season ticket for next year.

“Part of that reason was because I believed we would be enjoying the ongoing competition with our other Kentish rivals.

“I don’t go to many away games but was hoping to this coming season, especially for big games like against Dover Athletic.

“Now that will not be the case and a great occasion has been missed - as per usual no-one considers the paying fans.”

Whitstable Town fans were looking forward to meeting Dartford in league matches instead of the usual pre-season friendlies.

One Oysterboy said: “I don’t know the ins and outs of this argument but as a Whitstable fan one of the highlights for us was having the big Kent derbies, namely Dover and Dartford.

“It does seem strange that a Kent team leaves but Surrey clubs stay - Whitstable v Molesey doesn’t have the same appeal.”

“What a bloody shambles!” fumes Paul Burnett. “As far as the Ryman League administration is concerned, the words piss-up and brewery come to mind.

“It’s fair enough, geography wise, Molesey being spared the shift, but would not the most sensible option have been not to reprieve Corinthian-Casuals for the second time and for the Ryman One North to have found another candidate from north of the river.

“I can’t help thinking that most of the Essex clubs voted in favour of Dartford Football Club in the hope of boosting their miserable attendances.

“Well, with the poor pitches, poor teams, cost of the tunnel/bridge, none of them will be getting any gate money from me and my family next year.

“If Molesey can mount a successful petition, why don’t we try as well?”

“I think this decision is an absolute disgrace and basically shows the Ryman League up as the compete joke that they are,” said Darts fan Matt Burgess.

“This is now three seasons in a row that we’ve been moved around from the Southern League Eastern Division to Ryman League One South to Ryman League One North - it’s beginning to get more like musical chairs with us.

“If anyone had to be forced across then it should’ve been Corinthian-Casuals, due to them getting two relegation reprieves now.

“As the Sittingbourne secretary mentioned they didn’t want us to be moved due to the extra revenue they get when we play them at their ground due to the size of the travelling support that we have.

“This is probably the main reason that a lot of the teams already in the Ryman North would’ve voted for us to be transferred.

“Id be very surprised if our club make any kind of appeal against this decision, as I’m sure they already know that they would probably be wasting their time.

“We will just have to make the best of it and hopefully gain promotion by winning this league instead of the Ryman One South.”

Trevor Burgess was the first Dartford fan to contact www.kentishfootball.co.uk late last night, and he fumed: “The Ryman League management is a joke and they move us around like a pawn,”

“Corinthian-Casuals should have been relegated just as they should have been last season.

“I dare say the South teams voted against moving us as they know just how much money they will lose out on, the North equally so for moving us with a mixed vote from the Premier, maybe.

“But if we are in the North, the rival clubs will enjoy playing at Princes Park and we should be taking 150-200 fans or more away so we will make the most of it and hopefully win the League and get out of this awful division.”

Mark Wyver, a supporter of newly promoted side Whitstable Town, added: “Nothing surprises me anymore with the restructuring.

“I am very disappointed as a Whitstable Town supporter that we have lost a Kent derby - I hope Dartford will appeal against this decision.”

The only fan that contacted us supporting the decision to move Dartford into a division without any Kent sides was Ashford Town fan Geoff Buss.

He said: “I’m an Ashford Town supporter and apart from the money I am not too sad to see the back of Dartford.

“In any case , it should only be for one season as no disrespect meant, but what I have seen of Ryman North, Dartford should have no difficulty in gaining promotion.”