Wingate & Finchley v Dartford Sat 7 Mar 2026

[KentC]

Steve King isn’t the answer to whatever the question is!
He’s been bombed out of every club he’s been at since! If the club are genuine about moving forwards then it needs to be with someone new at the helm.

We’ve gone backwards since at pace.
It’s a shame some people are too ignorant to have a balanced view.
We deserve to be where we are because of stupid decisions and this was the start of the decline.

It’s not about getting him in. He’s gone now because of non footballing decisions, that’s a fact.
But that stupid decision followed by many more means we are where we are .


But as long as we have a club and they can insult who they think are stupid by saying playoffs is punching above our weight and the aim is to stay up, then they’re lowering expectations to make up for their complete incompetence and failure.

[Babylon]

Don't know if it's down to our board or Pennock or our tactics or our players or the tea lady but one thing is for sure.....
We are a poor shadow of Burmans conference teams of not that long ago.
While Maidstone ,Ebbsfleet and Dover seem to be doing OK we find ourselves in the Ryman and getting beaten too often.
We have no divine right but imho with our set up and facilities we should be doing a bit better than we are.

I would be interested in your thoughts!
(1st game 1958)
,

[Undercover Elephant]

Steve King isn’t the answer to whatever the question is!
He’s been bombed out of every club he’s been at since! If the club are genuine about moving forwards then it needs to be with someone new at the helm.

Was able to bring in quality players, some of the best football we played and an expectation we would win every game!
Now losing really seems to not bother me anymore and don’t let it ruin my weekend anymore, his departure was down to the board’s inability to manage him!

[WillDfc42]

Is it just me who finds it weird that a player who wasn’t even our captain today is the one doing an interview after such performance?

[Dart of Herts]

Is it just me who finds it weird that a player who wasn’t even our captain today is the one doing an interview after such performance?

100%

I’m well up for having player interviews but not instead of management.

Henley’s words and body language says to me that the players don’t want it. All cliche sayings and frankly looks like he couldn’t give a toss

[Odd-ball]

I feel Henley is a problem, yes he has had some great saves recently but I have zero confidence in him as our keeper! Especially with his performance in the first half of the season, I am hoping we see Sullivan getting some game time when he is back off loan !

[Hitchin Dart79]

Don't know if it's down to our board or Pennock or our tactics or our players or the tea lady but one thing is for sure.....
We are a poor shadow of Burmans conference teams of not that long ago.
While Maidstone ,Ebbsfleet and Dover seem to be doing OK we find ourselves in the Ryman and getting beaten too often.
We have no divine right but imho with our set up and facilities we should be doing a bit better than we are.

I would be interested in your thoughts!
(1st game 1958)
,

not a lot more to add we have been surpassed by those clubs mentioned and caught by teams like Chatham and Cray Valley. I glad you didn’t mention Bromley on the cusp of League one as that really would be a depressing comparison of the last decade!

[Hitchin Dart79]

Don't know if it's down to our board or Pennock or our tactics or our players or the tea lady but one thing is for sure.....
We are a poor shadow of Burmans conference teams of not that long ago.
While Maidstone ,Ebbsfleet and Dover seem to be doing OK we find ourselves in the Ryman and getting beaten too often.
We have no divine right but imho with our set up and facilities we should be doing a bit better than we are.

I would be interested in your thoughts!
(1st game 1958)
,

not a lot more to add we have been surpassed by those clubs mentioned and caught by teams like Chatham and Cray Valley. Im glad you didn’t mention Bromley on the cusp of League one as that really would be a depressing comparison of the last decade!

[Paulcanary]

I know of many people who just won’t visit PP anymore - that with the rules of ‘banning’ the youth will only result in DFC slowly dying - why can’t the board see that ???!?

[ozymandias]

Of course we're all disappointed and one or two are reverting back to bashing Henley???
In my opinion he came across as at a loss for words for the performance. in fact he was running out of words in the end for this performance.
I wasn't at the game so find it very confusing after Tuesday night's game that we suffered a loss. Not only a loss but one of our biggest defeat's of the season.
Definately something wrong in the changing room.
I will see what happens at Cheshunt (not holding my breath) before making my mind up for the Folkestone trip next Saturday. It normally makes for a good Kent derby but with Folkestone running away with the league they will be looking to tan our hides with a big win.
Whereas we are very good at upsetting the odds despite our poor form.
Thing will obviously change in the summer for whatever reasons and I predict a big change over of playing staff. Whether Ade will see out the season is another issue. But he doesn't become a bad manager overnight.
As for getting a new manager in I couldn't begin to think of one.

[Spike]

Wingate & Finchley are not a good side, but then neither are we and even more importantly, they wanted it more than we did. Our body language isn't good and you wonder if things are as they should be in the dressing room. We've scraped a few extra points from some disappointing home performances, but when it comes to away games, Darts have been woeful. The midweek interview about the "feel good factor" being back shows how disengaged the club is from the mood on the terraces. We are just a bog average Isthmian league team with no ambition. We'll be here again next season by which time the target of avoiding relegation may well be a valid one.

[ozymandias]

I also think that discipline has been a major issue this season and the fact that we had no Josh Hill at the back and as team Captain.
How we came to have Michael as team captain while sitting most of the season injured is beyond me.
We could end up losing our top youngsters this summer as kids with that talent are not going to be sitting on their hands for another season. They are too talented, I fear George is already way to talented for this League and expect big NLS clubs to snatch him away, and rightly so.
Unless we get new blood and more money coming in we will stagnate as a club.

[Babylon]

Apathy is creeping in ,some supporters not bothering to go anymore.
It is such a shame bit imho we are just plodding along with very little ambition and direction in this Ryman league .

When we got relegated I honestly thought that we would make a quick return to the Connie south but with this squad. we are an also ran at best


IT SIMPLY AINT GOOD ENOUGH !!

[Mark Sweet]

Another loss
Another Ady no show, we might get a write up but it's pathetic from him.

The exact same thing Dowse used to do and he was hounded for it.

Get Ady gone, get someone in that knows what they're doing. Save the season.

[KentC]

“The most disappointing part was work rate and effort “

When I don’t go I take great interest on here reading posts, and the analysis of the teams performance.
To see a supporter who travelled to say work rate and effort was not good would be frustrating to read.

To hear a player say that tells you everything that’s wrong.
How worrying is it that a player makes this comment, but fair play for actually talking to the fans.

I’d like to know if an after match interview with Ade has been done and is yet to be posted.
I’m absolutely sure the fans would not be disrespected in such an appalling way by not bothering to talk to them after the game. So I’m looking forward to what he has to say.

[rambo]

DFC is going downhill fast and I hope someone at the club realises this and puts together a 5 month plan to change the direction we are going
I will be blunt and call people out when I give my views on what’s gone wrong. I’m not really bothered if I upset someone because a lot of people this season at DFC have upset me. If anyone wants to dismiss me as an irrelevant very upset old fan of DFC then so be it
The mistakes made so far this season are imo as follows
Whoever chose Johnny Henley as our goalkeeper for the season needs to go along with Johnny. He is not good enough.
The pre season friendlies are too difficult for us, we play3 pro teams at home. It’s not easy to chase shadows when you are a part time player , it kills their bodies for the start of the season. The first friendly should be the showpiece and the next 4/5 should all be winnable games to allow confidence to grow. We lost a very promising young player to a season ending injury in a friendly.
The choice of captain was a calamitous choice. Michael is a loose cannon and is not good enough at this level anyway
Then choosing Johnny as vice captain was also very silly
Not stamping out bad discapline early was a disaster
Starting the season without sufficient experience in the squad was Ade’s fault along with his preferred team formation of three centre backs. We started the season badly and truly have not recovered from that setback
We don’t score enough goals and again this is Ade’s fault, constantly starting with Callum , not starting Eddie and constantly subbing Olly when he is the player most likely to score.
The tactics are awful , Johnny and the defenders ordered to hoof the ball long only for the opposition to gain possession and put us under more pressure. Yesterday even Sam Od became a long ball merchant
Ade decided to go with youth and half way through the season Jeriamiah began to look the part and suddenly Ade brings in two very young loan midfielders to take preference over Jeramiha. That was a bad mistake. It is vital that Olly , George , Jeramiah and Sam remain with us next season and the Board must put contracts in front of them now. We cannot afford to lose them.
If you go with youth you stay with the academy players. Then all of a sudden I find that we are playing with a 38 year old centre half, what is going on
Where are our wingers , I don’t come across any teams that do not have wingers in the squad
I firmly believe Ade and his coaching staff must go now, not because I expect a new team to coach us to success in the playoffs, I just want them out because they are useless and I hope that new coaches will show intent for next season and convince the young players to stay another season or two
As for the Board whoever it was that has decided to alienate the youth fans needs to take a look at themselves. They should learn and have a policy to manage young fans. This should start with an apology to the youth admitting they got it wrong and letting 14 to 18 year olds in for £2 if they have valid ID on them and anyone caught misbehaving will be ejected after photocopies taken of the ID and banned for the rest of the season
I think our remaining home games will be played to gates of well below 1000 and that should be a wake up call to the Board
It’s over to the Board now , are they able to make tough decisions to secure the future of our club

[Trevor B]

Rambo says

DFC is going downhill fast and I hope someone at the club realises this and puts together a 5 month plan to change the direction we are going
I will be blunt and call people out when I give my views on what’s gone wrong. I’m not really bothered if I upset someone because a lot of people this season at DFC have upset me. If anyone wants to dismiss me as an irrelevant very upset old fan of DFC then so be it
The mistakes made so far this season are imo as follows
Whoever chose Johnny Henley as our goalkeeper for the season needs to go along with Johnny. He is not good enough.
The pre season friendlies are too difficult for us, we play3 pro teams at home. It’s not easy to chase shadows when you are a part time player , it kills their bodies for the start of the season. The first friendly should be the showpiece and the next 4/5 should all be winnable games to allow confidence to grow. We lost a very promising young player to a season ending injury in a friendly.
The choice of captain was a calamitous choice. Michael is a loose cannon and is not good enough at this level anyway
Then choosing Johnny as vice captain was also very silly
Not stamping out bad discapline early was a disaster
Starting the season without sufficient experience in the squad was Ade’s fault along with his preferred team formation of three centre backs. We started the season badly and truly have not recovered from that setback
We don’t score enough goals and again this is Ade’s fault, constantly starting with Callum , not starting Eddie and constantly subbing Olly when he is the player most likely to score.
The tactics are awful , Johnny and the defenders ordered to hoof the ball long only for the opposition to gain possession and put us under more pressure. Yesterday even Sam Od became a long ball merchant
Ade decided to go with youth and half way through the season Jeriamiah began to look the part and suddenly Ade brings in two very young loan midfielders to take preference over Jeramiha. That was a bad mistake. It is vital that Olly , George , Jeramiah and Sam remain with us next season and the Board must put contracts in front of them now. We cannot afford to lose them.
If you go with youth you stay with the academy players. Then all of a sudden I find that we are playing with a 38 year old centre half, what is going on
Where are our wingers , I don’t come across any teams that do not have wingers in the squad
I firmly believe Ade and his coaching staff must go now, not because I expect a new team to coach us to success in the playoffs, I just want them out because they are useless and I hope that new coaches will show intent for next season and convince the young players to stay another season or two
As for the Board whoever it was that has decided to alienate the youth fans needs to take a look at themselves. They should learn and have a policy to manage young fans. This should start with an apology to the youth admitting they got it wrong and letting 14 to 18 year olds in for £2 if they have valid ID on them and anyone caught misbehaving will be ejected after photocopies taken of the ID and banned for the rest of the season
I think our remaining home games will be played to gates of well below 1000 and that should be a wake up call to the Board
It’s over to the Board now , are they able to make tough decisions to secure the future of our club

I agree 100% with this post as I struggled to go to the home game on Tuesday even though I have a season ticket and will have to think seriously about the next home game and games thereafter, with just the rapport with fans in the Season Ticket Holders bar to look forward to.

[DA Mikey]

Very well said rambo, good summary. Probably ought have a copy & paste into a part of the forum which won’t be archived in a few days.

[rambo]

Thank you DA Mikey I was thinking I should have posted that elsewhere so I have just put it on Slightly Deceptives This is Dartford thread
I would just like to say that although I am not usually so blunt my overriding concern is the best for the club. I feel that thd club is at a crossroads in history and the club is far more important than the feelings of people mentioned who no doubt are very nice family people but football is a results based industry

[Lars Resort]

Well said Rambo, I always read your posts . Well put.