St Albans City v Dartford Sat 9 Sep 2023

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St Albans City v Dartford Sat 9 Sep 2023

Coach travel for this match will be £15 for DFCSA members (£20 for non-members). Please book your space with Mick Austin on 07969 181796 as soon as possible. The coach will depart Princes Park at 11:30am.

Clarence Park Stadium
St Albans
AL1 4PL

Website: https://www.stalbanscityfc.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/stalbanscityfc
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stalbanscityfc
Youtube: https://youtube.com/stalbanscityfc1908

Weather: https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/al1

Directions: https://www.stalbanscityfc.com/visiting-clarence-park/
Radio: http://www.radioverulam.com/?q=content/ ... all-club-0
Forum: https://saintschat.proboards.com/

Tickets: https://fanzone.stalbanscityfc.com/prod ... rd-090923/

Tickets can be pre-purchased or purchased from the turnstiles (card payments only).

Adult £16.50
Concession £11
Next-Gen (18-23) £8
Youth (12-17) £6
Child (U12) FREE

Concessions include seniors (aged 65 and over), Unemployed (JSA recipients), Personal Independence Payments recipients, NHS and Blue Light Services staff members, Students in full-time education (aged over 23), Season ticket holders of Watford, Luton Town, Spurs, Arsenal, Chelsea, Brentford, West Ham United, and Women’s football clubs, and serving Members of the Armed Forces.

Family purchases are also discounted – 1 or more adults and 1 or more under 18s included in a single purchase will have a discount applied on checkout. For example, 1 adult and 1 under 18 will be discounted to £18, and 2 adults and 2 under 18s will be discounted to £33!

Parking is available around the ground on local streets but please check parking restrictions and respect our neighbours by not blocking driveways. St Albans City station is a 5-minute walk away which has a large car park costing £3.00 on Saturdays.

Season Preview: https://puredfc.co.uk/season-preview-2023-2024-15

It will be on National League TV: https://www.nationalleaguetv.com/schedule

Referee: Harry Jones
Assistant Referee: Ian Ruddock
Assistant Referee: Minesh Gupta

[Spike]

I've seen every game so far this season but with morale plummeting, the team in disarray and temperatures set to exceed 33C on Saturday, I'll probably be giving this one a miss. Not least because the one and only player I enjoyed watching in the last two games (Archie Woods) was surprisingly called out by Dowse in his latest interview and given that criticism, is unlikely to start. Dowse has got a good track record and you have to respect that, but I find myself really confused by the things he says. For example, last season he said that next (this) season he'd only be signing players who are likely to play 40+ games and then he re-signed Wall, Sheringham & Allen. They are all fine players when fit, but let's be honest, you'd be lucky to get 40 games from the 3 of them put together! EVERYBODY knew this, yet here we are with their absences often being cited as a reason for our failures. That's just one example, but so much of what Dowse says is contradicted in his next interview, sometimes even in his next sentence. It was disappointing to hear that we weren't even going for the top 2 this season, I just assumed that we start off going for the title every year, but even now, I have to believe that a play-off spot is still achievable. Dowse is a proven successful manager and I think he's a decent bloke whose heart is in the right place, but when they put that microphone in front of him, stuff just pours out with no filter. He throws everyone under the bus, including himself, but surely that stuff should be done in private. Defend your players publicly, bite their heads off behind closed doors. That's surely the way to do it. In my opinion, if anything is ever likely to threaten Dowse's tenure at Dartford FC it will be his own interviews.

All that being said, Dowse had a rough start last season, but then came a wonderful sequence of results that, despite our stuttering towards the end, saw us grab 2nd place. He seems confident he can turn things around so at this point I choose to believe him.

I just wish he'd say a bit less (although many might think the same about me).

[M1 South]

Yes, shut it Spike!!
I can’t even spell contradicted!!

[The Duke]

Spikes post mirrors what lots of Darts fans [ incl me] are thinking who want to see positive action taken NOT just a bunch of [ what turn out to be] meaningless words
I was not going to St Albans anyway but I had planned to go to the Welling F A Cup game with my friend Jon [ not a Dart fan ] but I,m NOT sure shelling out £10 for me and £16 for him to watch the current level of football is high on my agenda ??

I like Dowse but he makes it difficult at times !!!!!!!!!!!

[KentC]

I've seen every game so far this season but with morale plummeting, the team in disarray and temperatures set to exceed 33C on Saturday, I'll probably be giving this one a miss. Not least because the one and only player I enjoyed watching in the last two games (Archie Woods) was surprisingly called out by Dowse in his latest interview and given that criticism, is unlikely to start. Dowse has got a good track record and you have to respect that, but I find myself really confused by the things he says. For example, last season he said that next (this) season he'd only be signing players who are likely to play 40+ games and then he re-signed Wall, Sheringham & Allen. They are all fine players when fit, but let's be honest, you'd be lucky to get 40 games from the 3 of them put together! EVERYBODY knew this, yet here we are with their absences often being cited as a reason for our failures. That's just one example, but so much of what Dowse says is contradicted in his next interview, sometimes even in his next sentence. It was disappointing to hear that we weren't even going for the top 2 this season, I just assumed that we start off going for the title every year, but even now, I have to believe that a play-off spot is still achievable. Dowse is a proven successful manager and I think he's a decent bloke whose heart is in the right place, but when they put that microphone in front of him, stuff just pours out with no filter. He throws everyone under the bus, including himself, but surely that stuff should be done in private. Defend your players publicly, bite their heads off behind closed doors. That's surely the way to do it. In my opinion, if anything is ever likely to threaten Dowse's tenure at Dartford FC it will be his own interviews.

All that being said, Dowse had a rough start last season, but then came a wonderful sequence of results that, despite our stuttering towards the end, saw us grab 2nd place. He seems confident he can turn things around so at this point I choose to believe him.

I just wish he'd say a bit less (although many might think the same about me).

Was it the KOL interview that tipped it over the edge for you ?

[M1 South]

Forget the bus to Snorbans, there’s one departing half hour earlier destination Beachy Head!!
Single journey only available!!

[Trevor B]

Spike Said

I've seen every game so far this season but with morale plummeting, the team in disarray and temperatures set to exceed 33C on Saturday, I'll probably be giving this one a miss. Not least because the one and only player I enjoyed watching in the last two games (Archie Woods) was surprisingly called out by Dowse in his latest interview and given that criticism, is unlikely to start. Dowse has got a good track record and you have to respect that, but I find myself really confused by the things he says. For example, last season he said that next (this) season he'd only be signing players who are likely to play 40+ games and then he re-signed Wall, Sheringham & Allen. They are all fine players when fit, but let's be honest, you'd be lucky to get 40 games from the 3 of them put together! EVERYBODY knew this, yet here we are with their absences often being cited as a reason for our failures. That's just one example, but so much of what Dowse says is contradicted in his next interview, sometimes even in his next sentence. It was disappointing to hear that we weren't even going for the top 2 this season, I just assumed that we start off going for the title every year, but even now, I have to believe that a play-off spot is still achievable. Dowse is a proven successful manager and I think he's a decent bloke whose heart is in the right place, but when they put that microphone in front of him, stuff just pours out with no filter. He throws everyone under the bus, including himself, but surely that stuff should be done in private. Defend your players publicly, bite their heads off behind closed doors. That's surely the way to do it. In my opinion, if anything is ever likely to threaten Dowse's tenure at Dartford FC it will be his own interviews.

As The Duke mentioned many of the fans are thinking the same way about the interviews and I have to agree with Spikes comments on the Dowse interviews not that I listen to them any more but I do read Park Life's translations and that alone is enough to confuse you about the managers comments.
He should just get on with the job of managing Dartford keeping his thoughts about tactics and selections within the squad and just let us comment on how we think he is doing the job on here right or wrong.
Early days yet and we have to be patient whilst he sorts it out and I hope that he can get his act together soon as the current watching of games is a hard task over 90+ minutes but still time to prove that he can match his reputation of being a good manager.

[Park Life]

It's in my blood and if MY team are playing I want to be there so will be going to Snalbans tomorrow even though according to Dowse, we've no chance of getting in the top two, budgets too small, (his) players let him down.....!!!!

I'm sure after hearing these continuing negative comments that is why people i have been going to virtually every home and away game with for the last 50 years can't be bothered and aren't going tomorrow!!!!

But i'll be making the trip on my own courtesy of Ozzos coach service but can understand why regular die hard supporters can't be bothered. It really is a worrying time atm.

[Ajaxman DFC]

There were heated discussions in the training room last night.
After the players trooped off to the community pitch it appeared to be Moussa Diarra who remained behind and was remonstrating with Christian Jolley, who was trying to calm him down,
and Dowse, over tactics relayed to the class through the match highlights they had to sit through.
If this is the guy Dowse has spent 18 months chasing then it's disappointing if he's only on loan for half the season.
The fact is, whether Dowse agreed with his views or not last night, and he didn't seem that impressed, then maybe he could have been the ideal captain the club has been looking for. Atleast he was prepared to speak up when it would have been easier to have gone out with the rest of the team to the training pitch, and just got on with it instead.
Hopefully Barnet will continue their good form
and won't feel the need to recall Diarra when his current loan term expires.

[Lars Resort]

I'd like to comment on Trevor's +90 minutes endurance of games now and advise a simple technique of walking out after 80 minutes like quite a few did Tuesday.
It's not often I walk out before the whistle but Tuesday I came close to it.

[The 5th Searcher]

I'd like to comment on Trevor's +90 minutes endurance of games now and advise a simple technique of walking out after 80 minutes like quite a few did Tuesday.
It's not often I walk out before the whistle but Tuesday I came close to it.

Both Trevor & I walked out as soon as it was announced there was at least 8 minutes of added time. We had been punished enough during the rest of the game and wasn’t going to stay a further 8 or so minutes.

[JCJ]

I see the club has tweeted that tomorrow game is being streamed live, surely it is wrong as it’s a Saturday and a 3pm kick off

[Mark Sweet]

I see the club has tweeted that tomorrow game is being streamed live, surely it is wrong as it’s a Saturday and a 3pm kick off

No it's correct, due to the international break they're allowed to broadcast the Saturday 3pm matches.

[The 5th Searcher]

I see the club has tweeted that tomorrow game is being streamed live, surely it is wrong as it’s a Saturday and a 3pm kick off

I’d rather it wasn’t streamed, look what happened the last time it was streamed. Does anyone remember last Tuesday night???

I don’t think we played that well in the previous streamed match either.

[Sleightly Deceptive]

Not going! Streamed? Nope. Not watching. Won’t even be listening to the Mixlr commentary, if there is one. Don’t need any more shite to ruin my Saturday! Not until this crap is sorted. Someone please get my Dartford back.

[Lard Brett Sinclair]

Not going! Streamed? Nope. Not watching. Won’t even be listening to the Mixlr commentary, if there is one. Don’t need any more shite to ruin my Saturday! Not until this crap is sorted. Someone please get my Dartford back.

Talking pictures TV is showing an episode of Thunderbirds at 3 pm. However, it’s called ‘Pit of Peril’ so maybe not an alternative. FAB.

[Taunton Dart]

Kudos to anyone traveling to St Albans - hopefully the players might show as much passion - but after seeing last Saturday's match at Taunton I have never seen Darts fans in such small numbers and so flat before a game. After 90 minutes of hoofball I knew why.

[PeteSamson]

I have just seen an email delivered to my inbox from Vanarama saying that all games are being streamed tomorrow, which then had been chasing to the fixture lists to confirm there were no Premier League games taking place.

I will be tuning in to our game at St Albans despite the poor performance on Tuesday evening. Am I hoping for too much that we will be served up with a vastly improved performance, and a return to playing the ball on the deck, which always seems to coincide with the better part if our performances? Just stop the hoofball, which makes any pass a 50/50 ball, and get back to keeping possession of the ball, play the ball out from the back, and just play football. We always look so much better when we do so. And I believe the players are capable of doing that.

And fringe players like Ollie Box, who made an immediate impression in his recent introduction, need to be given further opportunity. There were a lot of under par performances on Tuesday, and not all players were guilty of that, as some put in good performances as previously mentioned, especially Woods.

So I am hoping for, and expecting, a bounce back, as much as for an apology to the fans for recent displays. Some fans have been paying out a lot of money to follow the Darts to some long distance away games already this season. They all deserve to be served up with some decent performances in return. All the players need to show a passion for playing for DFC, starting with the next two important games.

Well done to those fans who do decide to travel tomorrow as sadly, and understandably, it seems many will not be travelling.

COYD

[Kebabus]

And so it comes to pass, not for the first time, it’s highly likely that the fans going will have a good day out regardless of result. Don’t let this grim season so far put you off, having a day with your mates, win or lose, have a booze!

[ozymandias]

Normally I ask for a immediate response after a defeat which I did after the Taunton game. We saw the response Tuesday night.
I won't be going down the same route cos I can't see it happening. As some have said it feels flat and for all of Dowse's blather I can't see them getting a let off from St Albans. No matter how poor Kentc says they look.
The only plus I can see is that favourites Worthing have lost two already and we've only lost one more than them. And that's a PLUS and they are playing as a team.
We are nowhere near it.