Blue Square Bet Play Off Final - Dartford v Welling - 13th May 2012

[DA Mikey]

Eight years ago today. From Spike’s inspirational “Darts Prayer”, through to the drunken victory speeches on the wall of the Ivy Leaf, this day in 2012 heralded DFC’s rise into non-league’s top flight. Lee Noble’s rocket in the first five minutes, Princes Park brimming with 4,000, the insane ending to the PL courtesy of that last-minute Aguero goal, all in beautiful sunshine. What a day that really was and it would set up a fantastic 2012/13 season too. Worth a reminisce in these vapid times.

[Ozymandias]

I got my normal position with friends and even the wife showed up for this one. The sun was shining and the Grandson was excited, he was an avid Lee Noble fan at the time. I was so proud when the lads took to the field, we had come such a long way since the early 90's when it all went pear shaped. We had a spanking new stadium and with promotions in alternate years since 06 we were on the brink of promotion to the top division in Non-League. Plus we had a team to be proud of being run by a manager and Board to be proud of.
So, having all that, why, a man of my age, was I shaking like a leaf for the next 90 minutes? I do not know. Even when Lee got that ball at his feet and looked up you felt 'if he hits this it could be a cracker' and sure enough he hit it and F**k, what a cracker. Welling did their bit by doing well not to ruin our day. One chance by their center forward I seem to remember when through on goal and he fluffed it.
At the end of ninety minutes the whistle went and the shaking stopped. A cracking day from start to finish and a with all the celebrations after the game.
The season after we got to see some cracking teams up at PP with some cracking football to go with it, a thoroughly enjoyable season. Especially as the lads played their part in making it a proud one for us. Took a few big scalp and surprised a lot of people and clubs.

[babylon]

A fantastic day,we deserved to win and Welling eventually ran out of ideas.
Lee scored a wonderful goal and the whole team did us proud.
It matched knocking Exeter and Aldershot(both league clubs at the time)out of the fa cup and winning the southern league in the 80s with a brilliant striker called Tony Burman
up front( whatever happened to him).
But my best memory was winning the Southern league at a canter in 1974 and getting to Wembley in the FA trophy final
Unfortunately we lost 2-1 to Morcambe who caught us napping twice in the first 20 minutes and then spent the next 70 minutes with 10 at the back.
Great memories but under SK hopefully there will be some more
Good times.

[Buzz stop]

Welling have lost 2 play off finals by 1-0 score lines. Dartford deserved their win on the day. Not so sure Woking did last year. However actually winning the league is a much better feeling.

[Reginald Horsfield]

Welling have lost 2 play off finals by 1-0 score lines. Dartford deserved their win on the day. Not so sure Woking did last year. However actually winning the league is a much better feeling.

You cant beat feeling, Buzz Stop

[DA Mikey]

Welling have lost 2 play off finals by 1-0 score lines. Dartford deserved their win on the day. Not so sure Woking did last year. However actually winning the league is a much better feeling.

Obviously it’s better to win the league, but in terms of feelings, the season rounded off in one 90 minute game is so tense (as well you know), that to win brings such extreme euphoria.
If we had won the NLS 2017/18 title at Bognor - which we were doing for about seven minutes until a certain Jason Prior scored for Havant & Waterlooville - it would have been an amazing achievement and the best way for Tony Burman to have gone out. But even though it would have made for the best weekend since we took a couple of hundred down there last in the 2009/10 Ryman Premier winning season, it would have been down to results of others and not 100% our own merit (well, certainly not on the day).

I think this is why some people are not in favour of the playoffs, since it can have a tendency to showcase the final winners better than the league winners. It’s certainly a higher-profile way to be promoted than coming second in the championship, league one and two. In the case of NLS 2017/18, our campaign - having lost out on the title by goal difference - lasted just one more game, losing against eventual playoff winners Braintree, who had finished seventeen points behind Dartford.

Whilst going out to Braintree that year was a (very) bitter pill to swallow, and also Chelmsford the season before, I’m selfishly very glad that to have not seen us lose a playoff final as the heartbreak would last a long, long time.

[M1 South]

I personally think TB would have stayed on for another season if we had gone up to the Prem that year DA?

[DA Mikey]

I personally think TB would have stayed on for another season if we had gone up to the Prem that year DA?

Not sure. Having guided us there before, there wasn’t much more for him to achieve than to win the NLS other than get us to Wembley which he also came close to. It would have been the perfect cadence IMO.

[M1 South]

Once i find out what 'Cadence' means, i will reply DA?

[Buzz stop]

Welling have lost 2 play off finals by 1-0 score lines. Dartford deserved their win on the day. Not so sure Woking did last year. However actually winning the league is a much better feeling.

You cant beat feeling, Buzz Stop

You lot have no need to worry. You have easily the best manager at this level. He's a genius non league manager. I fully expect you to win this league next year. if you don' then easily the play-offs