Dartford v Braintree Town Tue 21 Nov 2023

[SKennedyDFC]

To be honest, I didn't go last night (thankfully by the sounds of it) and haven't been much this season.

Sadly, I've become rather indifferent to Dartford over the past few months (as have numerous others it would seem going by the ever-lowering average attendances).

When I have been, the football has been dire and not enjoyable to watch. The thought of paying (for me), over-the-odds pricing (£16 per match) to go at the moment is something I'm finding very hard to justify.

I know it's from a different time, but there was a time when the likes of Bradbrook, Noble, Ibrahim, Hayes, Harris, Burns etc. pulled on a Dartford shirt and it was an exciting atmosphere with players putting in performances that left nothing out. They gave it their all.

Over the past few seasons (with the revolving door of players that King first established and - sadly - Dowson seems to have maintained) there appears to be a real lack of appetite from a large percentage (not all) of the players in the Dartford shirts to excite the paying fans and give the floating non-league football fans a reason to come back to Princes Park for the next game rather than going to another of our local rivals (Bromley, Ebbsfleet United, Welling United or even Maidstone United).

The facts are that the football is poor at the moment and the gates are dwindling (last three season's average attendances for league fixtures are: 2021/22 - 1,338, 2022/23 - 1,178 and 2023/24 - 925 (after 10 games). There is little to be inspired about at the club at the moment.

I fear that, like myself, fans may choose to do something else with their money and time on Tuesday evenings and Saturday afternoons until there is a change in focus, application and performances.

I want us to do well, I really do. But can't see where the changes are going to come at the moment and it looks like this season (now we're out of both of the main cups and languishing in the mid-table positions in the league) is just going to peter-out into a totally forgettable affair.

[Top Cat]

I know it's from a different time, but there was a time when the likes of Bradbrook, Noble, Ibrahim, Hayes, Harris, Burns etc. pulled on a Dartford shirt and it was an exciting atmosphere with players putting in performances that left nothing out. They gave it their all.

The facts are that the football is poor at the moment and the gates are dwindling (last three season's average attendances for league fixtures are: 2021/22 - 1,338, 2022/23 - 1,178 and 2023/24 - 926 (after 10 games). Their is little to be inspired about at the club at the moment.

Spot on ! Those players you mentioned were the heart of the team and endeared themselves to the fans and in turn the fans loved them .Who now can we say have that same
rapport with the fans ?

[The Duke]

I love the idea that you can go into Dowse's office and quietly explain why you think that the comments made by the fans that he has made a cock up of it this season and should listen to the fans viewpoints is laughable as Dowse does NOT believe its his fault and we should be really grateful for his community work and unlimited hours he puts into the Club

I think you might walk IN through the Door and OUT through the Window !!!!!!!!!!!!

[Kebabus]

It's all very sad to read the posts lately.
After finishing 2nd last season, surely the onus was going one better this?

Mid table mediocrity is not Dartford fc. If budget is the issue then the club needs to attract investors.

Going through the motions isn't cutting it, my message to anyone in the boardroom or management don't take the fans for granted!

Doesn't help not having cup runs either.
Losing at home 2-0 to Braintree embarrassing

[Park Life]

https://www.kentonline.co.uk/dartford/s ... at-297336/

[Lars Resort]

It's the football that's pissing me off., I think Dowse would make a good Isthmian Premier league manager .
Goodness knows what he'd do if we had investors throwing money at the club. He wouldn't last five minutes.
We've had managers here working with a budget that have produced bloody good sides that play bloody good football.
Maybe some of the players are not good enough but even if they were we'd be playing with the same style.
We trounced Ebbsfleet because of the occasion and the passion of the support on those two days and then in my opinion reverted back to three months of crap that has carried on into this season.. Even Christian Jolley never played football like what is going on on the pitch but he hangs in there with Dowse.

[Tony H]

Use of the B word should be banned from this forum and reserved for Twitter where posters know f**k all about the subject.
Let those posters on here provide insights based upon their opinion and views, not on what is the subject of mere speculation and rumour. Those that have knowledge of the B should not be divulging on here anyway.

The B word - here’s a clue. It ends with a T and has the letters UDGE in the word.

[Lennylenny]

I think we should mention Luke Coulson he’s been outstanding and the sign of a player who cares is clapping the fans( on his own)when what was left of a abysmal crowd stayed to the end. He’s a national leauge player in my eyes

[Lennylenny]

I’ve never mentioned a budget , what I respect about dartford is they don’t do the cash in hand and brown envolopes , leave that to other clubs. Im not a Dowse lover but respect he is honest , and works within the boundaries he is given. Dartford is in safe hands, the accademy, the ladies etc are a credit to the board, yes I think Dowse should go, yes I think he lost the plot but everyone says he is a gentleman, I agree with that as he has kept within the budget he was given

[Spike]

Sorry if this seems brutal, but I love this club and I think we have to face up to reality.

Pre-season was a shambles.
Recruitment (last year and this)was a disaster, we have an unbalanced squad with 4 big similar centre-forwards and no wingers to supply them and we have re-signed perennial sick note holders (again, last year and this) and then spend all our time being surprised they are injured and hoping everything will be alright when they are fit.
We threw away the best goalkeeper in the league and replaced him with a guy who helped Concord get relegated
Christmas is approaching and we are still scratching around looking for loanees and trying to get the team sorted.
Style of play is ineffective, boring and unbelievably dull.
Discipline is disgraceful (6 red cards and we're not yet out of November).
Results are very poor.
Constantly telling us about new signings that are about to happen but then don't (no doubt because of the budget)
Dowse's interviews are horrendous.
Believes there are 12 or so clubs with a bigger budget
Contradicts himself every 5 minutes
Constantly moans about the budget
Throws his players under the bus every game
Blames it on the budget
Called out the supporters as "idiots"
Complains about the budget again
Conceded that we were not going for the top two spots before a ball had been kicked
So much negativity about how everything was going to be harder this season ... How that will help sign players I don't know
Oh and did I mention the budget?
Support is dwindling, even season ticket holders are starting to stay at home.
I am sick and tired of the incessant whinging about the bloody budget or "restrictions" as Martin Tyler chose to call them.
If Dowse and his team don't think they can do the job on the budget the club can afford then they know where the door is.
We've had something like 34 players this season already and I have no confidence that Dowse can turn this around ... I have yet to speak to anyone who does.

I now wonder if last season's second place may have been built on the back of the inherited players, in particular the Bonner/Essam/Wilkes triangle. Sadly, Dowse's replacements haven't come close to matching these three. Our decline from perennial title challengers to mid-table non-entities appears to have a direct correlation with the departure of players that Dowse inherited and their replacement with his own signings. The truth is that we've been piss poor since January of last year. The idea that all our problems will be fixed when the next loanee arrives seems foolhardy to me (I guess we'll see on Saturday). Personally, I would rather the club not risk going out on a limb with the budget as I have zero confidence in Dowse to spend it wisely. I think we've got more than a few decent players in there somewhere but they appear to lack direction. Dowse would appear to be an honest and thoroughly decent guy, but I think his tenure is doing more harm than good. He seemed a good choice when he was appointed so I don't blame the board, but sadly and with the benefit of hindsight, I think it was a mistake. I genuinely don't believe things will get better until this mistake is rectified.

[Tony H]

Spike, I agree with all that so long as you don’t mention the budget (that’s one big smoke screen)! My experience of managers and budgets is that whatever you give them they’ll spend every last penny of it and ask for more.

Dowse, nice fella, is not the man to take DFC forward and action should be taken NOW! Resign Mr Dowson - if not the Board should show you the door.

[Spike]

Spike, I agree with all that so long as you don’t mention the budget (that’s one big smoke screen)!

Of course it is ... that's entirely my point.

[Tony H]

Spike, I agree with all that so long as you don’t mention the budget (that’s one big smoke screen)!

Of course it is ... that's entirely my point.

I knew that mate, just reinforcing my earlier point in this thread!

[Paulcanary]

To be honest, I didn't go last night (thankfully by the sounds of it) and haven't been much this season.

Sadly, I've become rather indifferent to Dartford over the past few months (as have numerous others it would seem going by the ever-lowering average attendances).

When I have been, the football has been dire and not enjoyable to watch. The thought of paying (for me), over-the-odds pricing (£16 per match) to go at the moment is something I'm finding very hard to justify.

I know it's from a different time, but there was a time when the likes of Bradbrook, Noble, Ibrahim, Hayes, Harris, Burns etc. pulled on a Dartford shirt and it was an exciting atmosphere with players putting in performances that left nothing out. They gave it their all.

Over the past few seasons (with the revolving door of players that King first established and - sadly - Dowson seems to have maintained) there appears to be a real lack of appetite from a large percentage (not all) of the players in the Dartford shirts to excite the paying fans and give the floating non-league football fans a reason to come back to Princes Park for the next game rather than going to another of our local rivals (Bromley, Ebbsfleet United, Welling United or even Maidstone United).

The facts are that the football is poor at the moment and the gates are dwindling (last three season's average attendances for league fixtures are: 2021/22 - 1,338, 2022/23 - 1,178 and 2023/24 - 925 (after 10 games). There is little to be inspired about at the club at the moment.

I fear that, like myself, fans may choose to do something else with their money and time on Tuesday evenings and Saturday afternoons until there is a change in focus, application and performances.

I want us to do well, I really do. But can't see where the changes are going to come at the moment and it looks like this season (now we're out of both of the main cups and languishing in the mid-table positions in the league) is just going to peter-out into a totally forgettable affair.

All correct

My son who is now 22 used to love coming to PP - he’s been coming here since 2006 - how many of us there that opening November day still go I wonder - but now he won’t go me due to no atmosphere and coz we are terrible now.

I never minded getting beat in any league especially the conference as players like Nobes, Bradley etc gave it all but no more sadly

It’s making me sad - I still come to some home games from North Derbyshire but the last few home games have been shocking …….. can anyone give me hope ?

[Jonty]

Paulcanary, for as long as I can remember DFC have always had a cycle where we go off the rails and get overtaken by our rivals. At the moment we are down in the dumps and playing second best to the likes of Ebb$fl££t but I have no doubt that we will rise again and then our main rivals will be playing second fiddle to us. It's always been the case and in football things can change very quickly.

[Tony H]

Paulcanary, for as long as I can remember DFC have always had a cycle where we go off the rails and get overtaken by our rivals. At the moment we are down in the dumps and playing second best to the likes of Ebb$fl££t but I have no doubt that we will rise again and then our main rivals will be playing second fiddle to us. It's always been the case and in football things can change very quickly.

That feels a long way off though Jonty, but Webbedfeet may very well come straight back down at the end of this season.

It’s the oldest question in football I think - win most game 1-0 playing a solid defensive style of football with little excitement and creativity and achieve promotion or lose most games and go nowhere (if not relegated) but playing exciting football. I know which one I’d want but we’re getting neither at the moment.

#changeitnow

[Lennylenny]

If the board don’t listen to spike , something is wrong. Fresh blood please, loads of new promising managers out there.

[Jonty]

I can't argue with any of the comments above and the wheels are already set in motion, all the board are doing is delaying the inevitable. The constant use of the word "budget" in interviews is wearing thin and this is just a mask for the failings of our management team. The comment that offended me the most was the one that there are 5 other Kent teams, excluding Ebb$fl££t with larger budgets than us and one of them is playing in a league below us.

Its got to point that even if things did drastically turn around and we miraculously won promotion it would still not be enough in most supporters eyes. There is no denying the fact that our team are very poor from a technical perspective and the only player that looks good on the ball is Luke Coulson. It's never nice to see our manager is this situation and I know that Dowse is a decent guy but as it stands he is damaging our great club with his brand of football, which not only cost the club in early cup exits but also from lost revenue from stay away punters.

I hope that the board make a note of February 10th with the visit of Aveley and speak with Danny Scopes. He has an incredible record with unfashionable teams and served his apprenticeship with the Cowley Brothers. Hope nobody is offended with my comments as this is only my personal opinion. I would like to be proved wrong but I cannot see how things can be turned around with such a slow, technically poor team. It really is gut wrenching.

[Park Life]

[DA Mikey]

Well, that’s definitely not a red. Confirms what anyone with a decent view saw. Fitting that the ref had a hand in their first goal with his backside, although he’ll probably tell you it came off his elbow.