Dartford Players of The Past

[mickw]

wouldn't mind him back at PP

[Happy chappy]

I don't know what the reason was but I felt that Doug Holden wasn't given the chance to prove his point. Ernie came in and added and tweaked the team and season into a successful one. Great memories

Agreed. What i have never been able to find out is why so many of the winning Southern League title team left the next season. Graham Carr, John Morton, Martin Binks, Bob Glozier to name just 4. I can only think that things were going on behind there scenes that some of us fans were not aware of.

[Charlieboy]

From what I heard at the time not sure if it was true.
Doug Holden held some strick religious views which did not go well with some people. Also there was a rumour that the players did not receive a bonus they were promised while Ernie received a new car. Mind you it was a Austin all agrro. Also with the repercussions from the incident that happened against the refferee at the Maidstone game it seemed to effect some of the decisions that went our way.

[Reginald Horsfield]

I spotted this article about ex Dart Martin Binks on the Southern League website......

https://southern-football-league.co.uk/ ... ocus-Onand

I'm going to be controversial here and say that Martin Binks and some others were signings in the summer of 1973 by our then Manager Doug Holden and was the reason we won the Southern league in 1973-74 even though Doug Holden was sacked and replaced by Ernie Morgan before the 1973-74 started. Doug Holden took over in the summer of 1972 after Ernie Morgan took over at Maidstone and returned after just one season there.The 1972-73 season wasn't a good one for the team, but Doug Holden knew the type of players he wanted and signed them.
1974-75 was a terrible season for us and we got relegated after a number of players from the previous season left for reasons unknown to me.

My Grandad always claimed that Ernie inherited the team. For me who cares his management and that team will live for me forever. Indeed only discussing the greatest DFC team ever yesterday and thinking of Say Elliot B. You would say he has to be in there. But then Danny Light and alike spring to mind. Now Danny Light definitely has to be in there. The list of greats this great club has had is endless. And many a discussion has been had and will be had.

[Happy chappy]

I spotted this article about ex Dart Martin Binks on the Southern League website......

https://southern-football-league.co.uk/ ... ocus-Onand

I'm going to be controversial here and say that Martin Binks and some others were signings in the summer of 1973 by our then Manager Doug Holden and was the reason we won the Southern league in 1973-74 even though Doug Holden was sacked and replaced by Ernie Morgan before the 1973-74 started. Doug Holden took over in the summer of 1972 after Ernie Morgan took over at Maidstone and returned after just one season there.The 1972-73 season wasn't a good one for the team, but Doug Holden knew the type of players he wanted and signed them.
1974-75 was a terrible season for us and we got relegated after a number of players from the previous season left for reasons unknown to me.

My Grandad always claimed that Ernie inherited the team. For me who cares his management and that team will live for me forever. Indeed only discussing the greatest DFC team ever yesterday and thinking of Say Elliot B. You would say he has to be in there. But then Danny Light and alike spring to mind. Now Danny Light definitely has to be in there. The list of greats this great club has had is endless. And many a discussion has been had and will be had.

A lot of of older fans would agree with what your Grandad claimed. Doug Holden knew what the team wanted in terms of type of players and he signed then players.
I'm not knocking the late Ernie Morgan but he did make some terrible signings.Hughie Stinson, Howard Moore, John Charman, Pat McKenna etc, but so do most managers, and we can't forget that as soon as Doug Holden signings left the club we were relegated.

[Reginald Horsfield]

Mr Chappy, I've been thinking of my Greatest ever team and a large part of it would be formed by the single 74 side. For me Les Burns, Danny Light, John Mitchell, would be cornerstones. I could include more but I feel it wouldn't allow me to do many great later players Justice. Whilst initially a forward, Glen Coupland was a tremendous player, I loved him, then Steve Robinson, Tony Pamphlett wow wow wow its incredible. Tony Burman would definitely be in mine, who could forget that partnership with Gary Julians. Tony was one of the greatest signings ever made by DFC, we thank you Mr Carr, blimey should I Include Graham ? Roger Keen would be my choice in goal, Terry Sullivan, Aidan O'Sullivan would have to be in, Terry was the greatest non league player ive seen, there now im running out of places to fill and I havent moved on from the 80s. I just don't know

[The Don]

What about Hessie and Peter Taylor? Noticed Hessies son is in Crawleys squad. Now that makes me feel old....

[Ozymandias]

I have my T-shirt with Morton, Osbourne,Burns, Carr, Machin, Light, Bradbrook, Halliday, Haworth, Sullivan. Subs Noble, Day, Robinson S, Robinson K, and Bettinelli

[The Don]

I have my T-shirt with Morton, Osbourne,Burns, Carr, Machin, Light, Bradbrook, Halliday, Haworth, Sullivan. Subs Noble, Day, Robinson S, Robinson K, and Bettinelli

That good a side Oz you only need 10 players! Maybe this ought to be a thread of its own and then we can list the players and vote. Something to do during lockdown...

[Pedro]

As always these polls are a matter of opinion - and memory! So far the players are all within the past 50 years and the squads put together before reforming for the Southern League/FAT squad in the 1970s, the John Still Souther league promotion/Alliance Premier 3rd place, Peter Taylor's cup winning squads. Since reforming of course the TB promotion to the Prem and the first season at that level.

Sadly, not too many fans around that can remember the quality of the 1930's squad. Choosing strikers over the years and goalkeepers could be a bit more quantitative (goals per game, number of clean sheets) others chosen by quality - style, skill, effort, personality.

My favourites: Roger Keen, David Jaques, George Borg, Tony Pamphlet, Les Burns, Tom Bonner, Hess, Terry Sullivan, Peter Taylor, Paul Powell, TB but feel guilty about leaving out Morton, Bradders, Nobes, Lee Burns, Carr, Mitchell, Halliday, Hayes, Julians, Cowley and more!! There are of course players that went on to play at higher levels from Fred Dell, Derek Hales, Dave Smith and more recently such as Dave Martin, Cody, Charlie.