https://www.kentonline.co.uk/dartford/s ... re-291515/
Striker Harvey Bradbury is staying at Dartford after the club turned down an undisclosed fee for his services.
Bradbury was the subject of a bid from an Irish Premiership team - believed to be Glentoran, now managed by former Welling boss Warren Feeney - but both the player and Dartford quickly shut down the interest.
The 24-year-old only signed permanently for Dartford in the summer after ending last season at the club, when he scored six goals during a loan spell from Dorchester.
“He’s not going anywhere,” stated Dartford manager Alan Dowson. “They offered a few grand, it was one of the Irish teams. He’s not going, he doesn’t want to go, his family doesn’t want him to go and we don’t want him to go.
“I think somebody offered something and I said he’s not going. I told Harvey and he said he didn’t want to go so it didn’t even take off as a conversation.”
Bradbury has spent time with Portsmouth, Watford Oxford United and Millwall during his career.
He has the qualities to play in the Football League but needs to establish himself again in non-league football this season.
“I liked him a lot when I was at Woking but then his career dipped, and it dipped a lot which was his own fault,” added Dowson. “He thought he was going to be all right and when players start to think like that, that’s when they go back down the swanny.
“He came in and scored goals at the end of last season, he’s 6ft 3in, he’s quick and he can hold the ball up so he’s got a chance.
“He’s a good player and I think a lot of clubs will look at him, just as there are clubs looking at Brandon Barzey at the minute as he’s been quite sensational.
“I knew he had a lot of ability but he’s been brilliant so far. I know for a fact that clubs have been looking at him and when I speak to other people his name comes up straight away.
“Like all players you don’t know how long it will last or how far they will go but he’s flying at the minute.
“Luke Coulson scored two good goals and probably deserved his man-of-the-match on Saturday but I felt Barzey was our best player.”
Bradbury played as the central striker alongside two wide players at the weekend but Dowson is keen to give him even more help - once he can resolve the club’s defensive shortcomings.
“That was the plan once I got my back four sorted but I need to get that done first,” said Dowson, who has Lewis Manor, Charlie Sheringham and Alex Wall all pushing for a starting berth.
“If I don’t sort the back four then it’s going to kill us in central midfield. I want to do that, I always had the intention of going to two up front at times this season and I like playing with two up.
“I haven’t been able to do it because of other circumstances but it will be something I look at in the future.”
Dartford make the trip to Weymouth this Saturday in National League South before hosting Hampton & Richmond on Tuesday night.
Dowson was full of admiration for the work Weymouth boss Bobby Wilkinson did in steering the club to safety last season.
“Two tough games ahead,” said Dowson. “Bobby did unbelievable to get them safe last season given what he took on.
“They were unlucky against St Albans last weekend, they battered them in the second half and missed a penalty as well so it will be a tough game going down there.
“I’m devastated about not winning on Saturday but let’s get the cards on the table, we didn’t lose and I’m looking forward to Weymouth this weekend and seeing how we get on.”