The Dart(s) Board

THE DRAW FOR THE ADOBE WOMEN'S FA CUP THIRD ROUND - SOUTHERN GROUP:

1 Sutton United v Chatham Town
2 Southampton v Royston Town
3 Dartford v London Bees
4 Bristol City v Portsmouth
5 AFC Bournemouth v Fulham
6 AFC Portchester or Worthing v Ipswich Town
7 Oxford United v Plymouth Argyle
8 Charlton Athletic v Watford or Saltdean United
9 Leafield Athletic v Swindon Town
10 Lewes v Crystal Palace




TO BE PLAYED ON SUNDAY 14th DECEMBER 2025 AT PRINCES PARK STADIUM, Kick-off: To be announced

Oh Noooo... On BBC South - East!
Not more hard work at PP...
For a Fifth Consecutive Home Draw, into the 3R and FACup run joyfully continues...
Let's be 'avin' you Dartford...
You never know? The local MP, the Mayor and Leader of the council might get their photo opportunities...

I wonder what the ko time will be. Or even what day come to that.

The two previous televised rounds saw Middlesbrough kick off their 1st round tie Saturday lunch time, followed by Wolves v Stoke last Friday evening in round two.

Ring of fire wrote: Mon Nov 24, 2025 10:43 pm Oh Noooo... On BBC South - East!
Not more hard work at PP...
For a Fifth Consecutive Home Draw, into the 3R and FACup run joyfully continues...
Let's be 'avin' you Dartford...
You never know? The local MP, the Mayor and Leader of the council might get their photo opportunities...

Don't worry mate. We'll all have your back. If we see you in difficulty the nearest one to you will be there to grab your wrist and pull your fingers from your throat.

We rely on the Board to direct and maximise receipts for this one, towards the 5 - year plan.
A bit of an 'FACup FunSunday' on 14th, would be attractive and perhaps boost the crowd, meeting players and families, in our own bar afterwards?
The Folkestone Fixture's rightly advertised on both fixture boards but wonder if special measures are swiftly being taken, to ensure that this most special DFC Women's FACup day is being widely advertised, including next to both existing Fixture Boards, at least by this week?

Good read from Ring of Fire's ideas and important points raised - THAT WILL NEED TO HAPPEN AT DARTFORD, if as a Club we really want a National League men's side and a National League (Tier 4) Women's side.

Interesting after-match interview with Bees' manager - He mentions QPR and Fulham. So Dartford are well and truly in the mix here with recent encounters with both.

A really honest assessment from the Bees' manager Dan McKimm of their 5-0 drubbing by Fulham on Sunday.
Next week they play QPR and then .... on the 14th DARTFORD !
https://londonbeesfc.com/dan-mckimm-post-match-fulham/


Listening to London Bees and seeing just what level Fulham have reached over the past two seasons gives us the basis of what Dartford FC, as a complete club, have got to achieve to make us a sound National League club - both Men and Women sides.

THIS IS WHAT DARTFORD FC HAVE TO ASPIRE TO. IF WE DON'T, THEN TREADING WATER JUST TAKES YOU DOWN AND OUT. THAT'S THE NATURE OF THE BEAST AND THE CREATURE OF MODERN DAY NON-LEAGUE FOOTBALL and SEMI-PROFESSIONAL WOMEN'S FOOTBALL (TIER 4 and above)

Fulham's Women's budget as we understand it last season was around £110,000 (or at least that sort of figure was banded about at the time). One would have to imagine that that is significantly higher now, especially with them sitting at the top of Tier 4.

This part is about Fulham and taken from A.I. Google search:
"Fulham League Status: For the 2025-26 season, Fulham FC Women are competing in the FA Women's National League Division One South East, which is the fourth tier of the English women's football pyramid and a semi-professional league.
Funding Model: The team is primarily funded as part of the Fulham FC Foundation and relies on support from the main club, rather than operating with the large, independent budgets seen in the fully professional Women's Super League (WSL).
Public Information: While the main Fulham FC team (men's professional side) has published financial results showing an annual turnover of over £186 million for the year ended June 2024, these figures do not isolate the women's section's budget.
Ticket Pricing: The semi-professional nature of the Women's team is reflected in its low ticket prices, with adult season tickets for 2025-26 priced at just £45."

This is all food for thought ........ but the thought process must become a reality process - and very quickly too or everything that is hard gained will be very easily lost, as we have learned from the men's team suffering "free-fall" from the upper-flights of non-league football.

Interesting stuff from both of you. I guess what you're saying Tony is there will be some critical thinking required soon. The on trend terminology being favourably adopted by the self-appointed intellectuals of this world. Or maybe they're from another one.
The infamous 5 year plan has also been raised again. I can't say any plan, five year plan, ten year plan, cunning plan ever sits right with me. Football's like no other business. It's unpredictable and like the role of a striker you have to take your chances when the door is open.
What we mustn't do is what one club did through committing to extreme caution. I can't for life of me remember who they were since they disappeared into obscurity.
They had two teams. A men's side and a women's team.
One season in particular saw the women as favourites to win the league. All was going well. Too well infact and it didn't quite fit in with club's long term strategy. Despite several cup successes the club wasn't prepared to invest in the success of the ladies at the next level. But they needn't have worried when a member of staff inadvertently double booked the matchday pitch in favour of a charity rugby match between Antifa and The Patriots, which led to the ladies incurring a 3 point deduction. Subsequently their rivals pipped them to the league title by a single point.
The men on the otherhand were less of a problem, although the club did have an almighty scare in a controversial play-off final.
It was always imperative to finish in the play-offs for the extra revenue every season. Crowds were decent and everyone had to pay even if they were season ticket holders.
Imagine the remit of Liverpool when Chelsea and Manchester City were dominating the Premier League. It wasn't about winning silverware but finishing 4th for that lucrative Champions League spot. It didn't even matter if they finished 19 points behind the team in 3rd place. From a financial perspective it was a successful season. Three play-off games can earn a lot of money if you can ensure you're drawn at home. And no having to put your hands in your pockets for next season if you don't go up. Just don't turn up to for the final if you get there.
Although it all very nearly went disastrously wrong on one occasion. Upon reaching a play-off final the team inadvertently took the game to a penalty shootout. But to the relief of the board all three penalties were expertly despatched over the bar, it was like watching a rugby match. And the club was saved from promotion.
As I said earlier I can't remember what they were called. Neither do I know what became of them other than from the rumours. Apparently the men are now playing Sunday mornings. The women appear to have faired rather better as I heard one of their supporters had won the lottery. From watering the plants and selling scratchcards on match days he's now busy maintaining their new pitch at the Ringo Fire Stadium and flying them out to Majorca for preseason during the summer.

Ten days to the FACup 3R v London Bees, our DFC Women's biggest day, so far...
On the previous day,, our DFC Men host Top of the Table Folkestone...

Wouldn't it be positively different for both fixtures to be Advertised jointly, for an exciting weekend at the DFC?

Would both match tickets go on line sale shortly?

Another opportunity to raise club profile and boost Revenue All Round!

The OPPORTUNITY is there.

I'm energised by all the enthusiasm and excitement!!

I'm sure the club can start getting it out on the socials right away. A big game for the men on Saturday against table-topping Folkestone and an even bigger game on Sunday for the 1st team Women in the 3rd Round of the Adobe WFA Cup against step 4 side London Bees. Incidentally, in the same league as QPR Women who our amazing girls knocked out of the competition in a previous round.