I'm Back

After a god knows how many days long hiatus, im finally back writing. It's been a hecket August/early September on the football pitch for the Darts and i have to say, we're not doing to well but that is no huge worry of mine at the moment. We've still got about 80-90% of our games to play and i with the team playing better every game, i think we should be able to still reach a decent midtable finish. For me, i feel that this is the time when the singing should get louder and our support should stay strong. To be honest, we werent great on the vocal front at Staines (not that we were outsung by the mighty Staines Massive who looked like they were almost 5 members strong for our Saturday the 6th encounter. No worries though. Heybridge Swifts come to Princes Park tommorow, in what will be one of my last Tuesday nighters for a while as the glare of a part time job and mock exams near, so hopefully we can put in a good performance both on the pitch and in the stands tommorow.

The Journey Up To Princes Park

Here is one of the videos i made.

The Season Nears...

So, we now have only 5 days till the start of the season. Preperations at the Dartford Youth Supporters Association are in full swing. We even have our very own Dartford(England)Flag which will be taking to Hendon of course. I cant remember quite look forward to the start of a football season so much. Hopefully we'll get a big turnout down at Claremont Road (Home of Hendon) and give a good account of ourselves on and off the pitch. As for my videos, i've got about three or four ready to upload. Sorry about the long hiatus but some techincal problems have prevented me from uploading them. However they shall soon be on your computer screens in pretty soon. Till then...

VCD Athletic vs. Dartford FC

In the end, it was a comfortable evenings work from Dartford as they recorded their third win of the pre-season. Goals from Steve Butterworth and Yohance Lewis who this morning was confirmed to have unfortunetly left the club were enough to seal a win for the Darts. Whilst it's disappointing to see a member of last year's championship winning team go, we wish him the best of luck in the future and he will always be welcome back at Princes Park. NobleWatch wasn't dissapointed as Lee set up the first goal for Dartford just before half time as well as providing some great passes and knockons for the rest of the team. I intended to have another episode of the video blog up today but unfortunetly, problems with my camcorder have prevented me from doing so.

I would have liked to be at Brockenhurst but will be unavailable. I should however be in attendance for our final two games against Bromley (Home) and Thamesmead Town(Away).

Rival Rumblings

This season I shall witness my first Kent derby as a Dartford fan. Nothing beats a 94th minute winner or equaliser in what would be the most important game of the year for most fans of both clubs. I was fortunete enough to witness Leyton Orient peg back Southend in the 95th minute of a cracking game at Brisbane Road earlier this year. If there is one thing that makes a derby game a derby game, its the atmosphere. Even at Orient, you can feel the electricity just walking outside of the stadium a good 30 minutes before kickoff. The away end will completely packed (for once) and the travelling support will all be standing in good voice. The atmosphere feeds through to the players who will chase down balls they normally wouldn't or fly into tackles with real intensity. Then the goals. You struggle to keep upright as you are bearhugged by a random stranger and duck to avoid flailing hands as the person in the next seat nearly knocks you out with his flailing hands shouting "GET IN THERE!". Then your heart sinks as down at the other end you make out one of the opposition players striking a thunderbolt from 30 yards out into the top corner. Match programs and empty cups of bovril are hurled at the floor in distuges as you watch the away section going crazy while the home support sit shaking their heads or yelling obscenities at the back four for not closing down quick enough.

It's all that an so much more that makes a rivalry a rivarly and with Dover, Tonbridge, Margate, Maidstone, Ramsgate all facing us next season, its no wonder everyone is looking forward to next season.

Bishop's Stortford v Dartford

Looking back at the Bishop's Stortford game last night, I guess Dartford should not be too disappointed with losing. Stortford were a good outfit who passed the ball quickly, closed down effectively, and played some very good football. Their Conference South label began to show towards the end of the game. However I think we can take quite a few positives out of the encounter. First of all, we matched them for an entire half and had a few chances. Ryno seems to be picking up for at just the right time and he had a great first half. He also impressed me with his tracking back and made a few tackles. All of the trialists performed reasonably well, Ketchell had another solid game at the back and i would go as far as to say that I'd like to see him start at left back against Hendon over Steve Norman. Finally, the team seems to be gelling together, especially Noble, Powell, Barnes and Dafter in the midfield. I dont think we have anyone to fear in the Premier next season and on our day we should be able to beat anybody.

In the stands, not much could be commented on really. It's still pre-season and as such, the choir is still hibernating, waiting for the 16th of August which I'm sure will be a great event, regardless of the result.

Our next game is on Thursday the 31st against my first football club VCD. I think I had my first taste of non league football with the Vickers in an FA Vase away game at Arundel so it shall be a nonstalgic return to the Oakwood for me. I also hope to be filming another segment for my project and this blog on Thursday night.

Whitstable Today

Unfortunetly I wont be with Dartford in Whitstable and my absence at this fixture will mark the end of my consectutive games attended streak at eleven. The streak lasted from my first dartford game on March 15th against Enfield Town to July 22nd against East Thurrock. I'll still be checking on the score from the desk though, hopefully Dartford can get another solid win/performance under their belts. I'm looking for goals from Powell and Haworth in this one, hopefully both can put their names on a Dartford score sheet for the first time.