We must live up to expectations, insists Darts boss - EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Burman’s side travel to Burgess Hill Town on day one before welcoming Molesey to Ship Lane, Thurrock on Monday, 21^st August.

The club confirmed last night that their home midweek games at Ship Lane will be played on Monday nights, before reverting back to their usual Tuesday night slot once they move into Princes Park.

Fans will know when the new opening date of the stunning 4,100 capacity stadium will be later this week, after delays prevented arch-rivals Maidstone United opening the new stadium on 23^rd September.

A convincing 2-0 win at Kent League side Tunbridge Wells last night gives the Darts confidence going into the new season, expecting to do very well.

One Kent club last season suggested that Dartford are a dirty side – but EXCITING Dartford don’t know how to be dirty.  In fact their movement and pace is a joy to watch.

Great things are expected from the Darts this season, and former Slade Green pair Dave Martin and Ryan Hayes – who both scored at Culverden Stadium last night – are on the forefront.

“The goals have been shared out a little bit but those two have done ok for us in the pre-season,” Burman said in an EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW with www.kentishfootball.co.uk  last night.

“Dave has only just come back from holiday so he’s got a little bit to do still to get his sharpness back.”

Burman was, however, without Tommy Osborne, Anthony Henry, Brendon Cass, Glenn Billinness and James Carter for various reasons last night, taking a 14-man squad to a side that defeated Ryman Premier League side Tonbridge Angels 4-2 on Saturday.

But he is expecting his squad to gel on the Dorset coast this weekend.

“I want all the players to gel together off the field as well as they can and hopefully that will help them on the field,” said Burman.

“If you like it’s a bonding session and yes, we’ve got a game to go to (against Bournemouth Poppies) but it helped us out last year going to Lowestoft and hopefully it will help us out this year going down to Bournemouth.”

Burman, however, admitted there is more expectations and pressure placed on him and his team this season, suggesting he might not even be the manager of the club when they move into Princes Park.

He said: “There will be expectations because we had a good season.  If things go wrong then I’ll try to put them right.

“I want to give everybody a chance who was here last year.  We started to build last year, some of the lads are 20-21, so why should I just chuck it all away?

“I want to give them that chance and prove themselves even further and they know exactly what they need to do.

“We’ve had a good chat to them through the summer and they realise if things don’t work out then things might have to change but I hope they’ve learnt from last year.”

The Ryman League Division One South is even harder to get out of this season with just one team going up automatically and another one going up via the lottery of the play-off’s.

Last season, champions Ramsgate and play-off winners Tonbridge Angels joined Horsham in the top flight of Ryman League football.

Burman said: “It’s hopefully going to be a big year.  Hopefully I’m still in my job before we get into the new ground (he then laughed).

“If the results aren’t going right, I’m sure the chairman’s going to chuck me out and the supporters will be on my case (laughs nervously again). But there you go. We have to get on with things.

“I can’t wait for the season to start.  I was like that last year but I’ve got to be careful and not go over board and as you say, the pressure, not the pressure, the expectation is there and we’ve got to try and keep that expectation under control.”

Looking ahead to their opening two league games against Burgess Hill Town and Molesey, Burman added: “We’re up against teams we’ve not played before, which makes it more interesting.

“The more I look at it, the league that we’ve gone into is more difficult and much stronger than what we was in, and we’ll try and do our homework on teams that we’ve got to face.

“Every league has been difficult to get out of and I’m not even thinking about that really.

“We’ll start the season and hopefully we’ll finish on a high and if that means going up then that’s great, but we finished seventh in the Southern League last year.”

Meanwhile, Darts short trip to Crayford to play Martin Ford’s VCD Athletic next Tuesday night might be postponed as the Kent League club’s main pitch may not be ready in time.

If the game is postponed the Darts will therefore be searching for an away game next Tuesday or Wednesday ahead of their final pre-season friendly at Ryman Premier League side Folkestone Invicta on 12^th August.