I want to take Dover up, says White

Terry White has promised Dover Athletic supporters that he will be leading from the front after being appointed caretaker-manager while Clive Walker is on sick leave.

The former Hastings United boss outlined his plans for helping to plot the Whites’ bid to win the Ryman League Division One South title.

White, who resides in Bexhill, east Sussex, takes charge for the first time on Sunday (2pm) at Dulwich Hamlet in what is a crucial top-of-the-table clash.

Speaking to www.doverathletic.com he feels he’s the man to fill Walker’s shoes and clinch promotion.

He said: “I received a call from the chairman asking if I’d come along to one of the games and have a brief chat. He explained Clive wasn’t well.

“And as well a job as (assistant manager) Steve Nolan was doing, the job would be too much for one man to do on his own. He offered if I’d step in as caretaker boss.

“There are not many clubs where I’d have taken this opportunity, but when a club as big as Dover come calling, you’d be silly not to take up the offer.

“Although things are going pretty well this season, Dover is a Conference/Conference South club and that is where it should be aiming.”

White will drill into his side to be attack minded, especially against a Dulwich Hamlet side that impress up front.

He said: “I’ve been reading through Dover’s facts and figures this season and have seen that we’ve drawn so man games where we’ve been 1-0 up.

“Yet, having said that, teams don’t let many goals in are usually the ones that are there or thereabouts around winning the league. We haven’t let many in - and long may that continue.

“But hopefully I can work on us scoring more goals, while keeping them out down the other end.

“I’m a win-minded manager to be honest with you. I just want to win. I don’t care how, just as long as we get those three points.

“Those hundreds and hopefully at the end of the season, thousands of Dover fans, won’t care how we’ll we’ve played, or how attacking we’ve played, as long as the club are sitting in that number one spot in the league. That’s what its about.

“Of course, I want to win games by passing the ball well and scoring attractive goals - but ultimately, I want to win.”

He added: “There are two things I want most. Dover to win the league and Clive to be well again.”

White feels that Dover can go that extra mile during games to collect enough points to finish in top spot.

He said: “Looking at the ay the season’s gone so far, it looks to me that the team that’s going to get out of it and win it is the team that decides first of all to go and grab it by the throat and say “we’re going to win it, we’re going to get ourselves ten points in front and you’ve got to catch us.”

“At the moment, every time a team gets to the top they seem to have a bit of a wobble an it makes you wonder whether they can deal with it.”

The former St Leonards manager explained what the Crabble faithful will get from their caretaker-manager.

“What they will get from me is somebody who’s passionate and dedicated and who wants to win regardless of which club’s he’s at,” he said.

You can read Justin Allen's full interview with Terry White on www.doverathletic.com

Dulwich Hamlet v Dover Athletic
Ryman League Division One South
Sunday 7^th January 2007
Kick Off 2:00pm
At Champion Hill Stadium, Dog Kennel Hill, Edgar Kail Way, East Dulwich, London SE22 8BD