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Tony Kessell

0 (0%)

Tommy Osborne

2 (4.7%)

Steve Norman

3 (7%)

John Guest

3 (7%)

Richard Avery

0 (0%)

Lew Watts

1 (2.3%)

Mark Green

0 (0%)

Jay May

1 (2.3%)

Brendon Cass

7 (16.3%)

Eddie McClements

24 (55.8%)

Ryan Hayes

1 (2.3%)

Carl Bruce (sub)

0 (0%)

Steve Hafner (sub)

1 (2.3%)

Total Members Voted: 43

Voting closed: April 11, 2007, 09:52:32 PM

[ozymandias]

Unfortunately I've been away for the two games, and come back and CRIKEY it's all gone tits up.
Still, will be at Hastings Saturday and I know we have to play well. But this is the sort of game, that if we win, it will be a morale booster.
If we lose, Well, I'm afraid thats it for another season. And I can't see Hastings doing any favours. Can you?

[TREVOR B]

Trevor B. said after Kingstonians game

It's a long old three weeks to go and with too many below par performances so far this season I am not looking forward to this period with any real enthusiasm and will just be going through the motions a bit like the players seem to be in most games of late, perhaps we have all accepted that our fate is in the hands of others and what will be will be.

Well I did go through the motions today with little enthusiasm, then I thought I was wrong and we might have an outside chance of a win when Cassie took Jays pass well and scored, but I had forgotten for a moment about the 6 or 7 players who only appear to go through the motions of late, with little or no passion for the win.


Those in defence didn't let my pessimism down, as within a minute of us scoring, one defender gifted the ball to Chatham and they were on level terms, then later in the game two central defenders went walkabouts and left the tall no.9 unmarked and with plenty of time to chest the ball down and fire home, then with the ball given away on the left a good cross looking certain to be headed home bar Richards intervention with his hand. (He should have been red carded)

Game over except for the final ten minutes which saw Ryno move over to the left hand side and fire in several dangerous crosses and their keeper pull off 2/3 very good saves, the best being from an incredible far post header from Eddie which was goal bound.

Hard work from Jay and Cassie and Eddie my M.O.M. just because of his darting runs, passing ability and non stop commitment in his attempt to gain the win almost on his own, with a note to Greenie for a good first half much improved over saturdays performance and one you certainly didn't deserve to be substituted for.

As for the rest, below par performances which I seriously believe will not be good enough for next season and like others on here I would sooner see players out there for our remaining matches who are prepared to give 100% and show a will to win whether we do so or not.

I'll be there at Hastings as will the hard core of travelling fans and all we ask of the players is turn in a performance that makes us proud of the team win, lose or draw because we have little left to play for this season bar our pride and the thought of next season and a new start.

Unless of course there are those still praying for a miracle and believing that a rise back up the table into the play off's is a possibility.(Yes I know it is and I hope I am proved wrong)

[TREVOR B]

Excellent posts from MrGaz10 & Hunky Honky with some very honest and pertinent comments.

[dartwolf]

a very poor perfomance from a team that has only won 4 of it's last 15 games, a lot of these players are not good enough for the next level and if we are to progress then it is time to give the fringe players a chance and then have a good clearout in the summer. I know some will disagree but  there have been too many draws and losses against teams we are supposed  to beat and if the darts are to move up the leagues then some of these players have to be replaced , we need some pace in our team , today only proved what I have known since xmas ----we simply ain't good enough .Yes I am p*ssed off and today we were put out of our misery for another season.

[Martin C]

I believe we have a squad of players quite capable of winning this league (obviously not this season). I do not think the solution is to throw money and get a bunch of mercenaries in. I think loyalty goes a long way and it will reap rewards in time. However, these players have to take on what they are being told and convert what they learn in training onto the pitch. Maybe the odd bit of squad rotation would have reminded the odd player that they are lucky to play for this club.

I do not believe for one second that TB tells the boys to hoof it down the channels at every opportunity, yet that's what we do. When you have to clear your lines that's when you hoof it down the channels, but when you are comfortably in posession, you think about it and look for a pass.

How anyone can even suggest TB's job is done here is beyond me. The problem is, all these Johnny come latelies have turned up expecting promotion and thinking we should play everyone off the park. They are probably not aware that 2 years ago, it was all we could do to get a squad to play on a Saturday, patching it up with the youth team. We were constantly worried how the next ground rent would be paid and the mere existence was a week to week issue. Do you really expect a club in that state to get promoted in 2 years time? All those 'big club mentality' fans should maybe check out where we've come from to get this far.

I do not want to see us buy promotion and I hope and trust that the club will be very prudent with the new revenue streams coming in. There is an attitude about these days that you don't have to work for something you just get it or buy it. I would prefer to see the club work for and earn promotion, not buy it, and I can see this happening next season.

As for today's game, the equaliser was a kick in the danglies. What followed was a complete surprise to me. Players that we know can do it were making stupid mistakes and poor decisions and we really looked like a bunch of strangers. After nagging my Mum and Dad to come and watch the game, I will be refunding their admission charges and I am sure there's about another 1,000 people deserving of a refund too. It was simply awful and I would be very surprised if anyone involved with the club can put any positive spin on the performance. These players need to remember how good they really are.

P.S. before blaming it on the departure of David Martin, check out the results with him in and out of the team before he moved on. Of course, many of you won't remember those games, because you weren't there were you...?

[Wilkie]

            HUNKY HONKY  Well done again brilliant write up as usual.

[MrGaz10]

Take your points onboard Martin and agree with you about paying mercanaries to come in. I do think we needed some new faces to create a bit of competition in the squad and we do need to take advantage of the opportunity to progress as a club. I appreciate it has been a difficult ride with the club hovering near the edge, I also remember the initial comeback games against Furness etc when we scratched sides together and yes I did go to games at thurrock etc when things weren't like Princes Park. The current expectations have come about by the team playing good football and sitting at the top end of the table. The frustration comes from seeing the same players freeze when the pressure is on. I worry that crowds will drop if we don't go up and wonder how many of the "new" fans will be around next year. To this end I suggest a little investment in new personnel may have secured the promotion shot and the prospect of continued high gates. The interesting thing will be how many join us at Hastings next saturday - lots of talk but I suspect the regular faces! I have another concern - the current squad includes a couple of players who could cut it at a higher standard Eddie, Cass and Jay - how long will they stay if we don't go up? The lure of the better league is very strong especially for younger players. Losing that trio would almost certainly hamper our chances of going up next year.

[JOHN.J]

Like many others I'm disappointed but come on guys look how far we've come--great stadium, great crowds, some great memories from this season and I believe a bright future--sat in the stands today second half and couldn't believe the attitude of some of the so called fans (and not youngsters either-- free bus pass age !!) One of their comment was they were looking forward to crowds getting back to 300-500 mark like the old days and if the Darts continued to play like this it wouldn't be long--the truth is the current squad is not good enough and deep down we've known that for a while and were starting to kid ourselves that we were-- even if we did sneak into a play off spot I for one don't think we'd win through.
No doubt the squad will be strenghtened in the summer and next season the push for promotion will be even stronger. I honestly believe promotion was not in the bigger plan for this season but I'm confident next year will be different.
I will be there next season and I believe a lot of the new fans will be as well--Win, lose or draw I love my afternoons (or evenings) at  PP and am delighted and proud to have Dartford FC back on my doorstep.

[Gilesy]

Be intreasting to see what Tony makes of it all when he puts his notes in. xthink

[The Duke]

i do NOT expect TB to openly criticise the team as anything he has to say should [and is] done behind closed doors

whilst i dont expect TB to chuck the towel in , i would hope that secretly he has taken stock over the past 15 games with only 4 wins - dartwolfs stats] and has already decided who will NOT be with us next season and ensures that the quality players remain [ contracts etc]

with the revenue from 1200+ fans plus other fund raising there should be no problem ibringing in  some extra quality players [ not mercanies martin ,  as you dont work for £10 a week - peanuts/monkeys ] and lets get set about winning the league on merit and really mean it

we have come a long way in 2 years but we really did think we had a super chance of the play offs and for 2/3rds of the season this was realistic

with probably only 3 games left i intend to enjoy them  and along with the rest  support the team in what could be exciting games  !!!!!!!!!!

 

[Kebabus]

I believe we have a squad of players quite capable of winning this league (obviously not this season).

Hastings/Maidstone have as well, wonder why they have done it and we haven't?

Is it money? Do they have better players? Do they wear nike/Adidas?  Is it the superior tactics? Do they want it more? Is it because we wear  Prostar? Take your pick folks, the answers in  there somewhere!

Today for me was a new low, actually i half expect TB to apologise for that pitiful showing!

Its time to dump the excuses and find solutions, its obvious that the fans expectations are above those of the management/board.

[eagle88]

Gutted - That's all I can say - that's fit to print. I am one of the so-called new supporters (actually a re-born Dart). I will still go to the games but I feel, as has been stated in more than a few posts here, that we were let down by the team. MOTM has to be  xeddie with   xmay & xcass a close second. As to the rest were they actually playing? If a player is not fit or even not fully fit why play him?

[roger]

 xcryAt the start of the season TB was asked was he pleased with so many local derbies he said no because of the unpredictebility of the results and if you look at our results against Kent clubs you can see why only 16 points out of a possible 36 hasen.t helped the cause this season.Yes we were poor yesterday probably the worst performance since Cray W away but we have no divine right to win anything,and full credit to Chatham and their manager they deserved to win.I remember a few seasons ago when we were in the position that Chatham are in now and we put in performances like they did yesterday.Personally i had a great time this season having only missed three league games and have enjoyed the good company home and away and if we don,t get promotion roll on next season and try again.Over the last 50 years of supporting the Darts it,s always been a bit of a rollercoaster ride so hang on in there it,s going to get better.If you look round at other new stadiums it takes time to settle in and i think next season we will be a lot better and i would rather be where we are now than where we were a year ago.See you all at Hastings on Saturday.UP THE DARTS

[The Duke]

i think john guest is a smashing player and has deservedly won the messageboard MOTM several times this season

looking at the chatham MOTM i see he got 2 votes although he had a mare [ mind you not alone] of a match although he did not look fit and 10/10 for starting but the head must rule the heart !!!

still nice for john that family is allowed to vote,  cause surely any dart fan watching the game would not have voted for john yesterday


my MOTM  was eddie mac , best footballer on the park and his reaction to rynos stupidy was also class - hope he decides to stay next season - quality guy all round  !!!!!!!!!

UP THE DARTS
 

[Truedart]

Having been at the game Yesterday and now having time to relax and not make too many knee jerk reactions to possibly our worst performance of the season.

I have to say, it was clear to see Lew Watts was fatigued yesterday, obviously he is not getting any younger and maybe he cannot perform two games in 3days now, but i have thought for a while that he is showing his age more drastically, i would love to have seen briggsy play a more prominent role, he gets the ball on the deck and passes to another white shirt and can be a focal point to our attacks.  earlier in the season when we was perforing better briggsy was a regular starter but since coming to PP, he does not seem to get many games, i personally would like to see the midfield line up as hafner on the right, mcclements and briggs in the centre and green on the left.  I like ryan hayes but he should be benched, since the very moment he scored his 3rd goal of his hat trick recently his perfomances seem to have dropped and we only get the occasional flashes.

Maybe the board - (being scinical) have requested we stay in this league for another season, because fans are more likely to stay when the club is at thge top of this league, where as the maybe struggling for reular victories in a higher level.  No true fan would like to admit it, but these things do happen, at the end of the day the club needs money to progress and maybe another year down here with 1300 fans can give us the launch pad to progress more rapidly.