CHAMPIONS: Dover boss starts planning for Ryman Premier campaign

DOVER ATHLETIC player-boss Andy Hessenthaler, who wants his side to finish their title winning campaign on 101 points, has already started planning for next season, writes Stephen McCartney.

The Kent giants will be playing Ryman Premier League football in August after a three-year absence, after beating Burgess Hill Town 1-0 yesterday to clinch the Ryman League Division One South title.

Hessenthaler was at Franklyn Drive on Friday night to see Tooting & Mitcham United surrender their title hopes with a 1-1 draw at Walton Casuals.

“There’s a lot of work to be done now,” he told www.kentishfootball.co.uk yesterday. “Believe it or not I went to watch the Walton Casuals-Tooting game, obviously to watch the game and to watch a player we’re quite interested in.

“Darren (Hare) and myself have certainly got one eye on certain players for next season and obviously there’s a lot of players out of contract as well so we’ve got to deal with that situation.”

The Whites complete their campaign with a trip to Metropolitan Police (12^th April); at home to Kent rivals Sittingbourne (19^th) and a trip to Walton & Hersham (26^th).

“We’ll be back in on Tuesday to look forward to the Metropolitan Police game because our nest target is to get to 100 points,” said Hessenthaler.

After ending a 15-year famine, Hessenthaler wants to win back-to-back titles and clinch promotion into the Blue Square South.

It has been done here in Kent before as both Ramsgate and Maidstone United romped to Kent League and Ryman League Division One South titles recently.

“We’ll have to add to the squad,” said the former Gillingham star. “I think the players know that.

“Some will leave and we’ll bring new players in. That’s the reality of the game, players realise that.

“We have to strengthen the squad but the majority of players at this football club this season can certainly step up towards the next level without a doubt.

“We’ll bring some new players in and rebuild and we’ll go again next season and the aim is to try and go again.

“There’s no reason why we can’t go back-to-back if we get the right players to this football club.

“By getting promotion this season that can only help bringing those players in.”

Whilst being interviewed, there was a group of delighted supporters celebrating on the pitch with flags with Hessenthaler’s name flying with pride.

Looking at them at the Town End of Crabble, Hessenthaler, 42, recalled: “I’ve experienced celebrations over my career and certainly at Gillingham when I went to Wembley twice, lost and the feeling of winning was sensational and today is up there with that, without a doubt.”

Hessenthaler brought himself off the substitutes bench after 63 minutes and nine minutes later he supplied the ball to Matt Fish, whose cross was met by James Dryden’s bullet header, which sealed promotion.

The final whistle brought jubilant scenes as hundreds of fans raced onto the pitch to embrace their heroic players, and Hessenthaler said: “Without a doubt, it was a little bit emotional, I must admit, at the end.

“To see the fans because they’ve been waiting a long time and they’ve played a massive, massive part for us to get this success this season.

“Home and away the support they’ve shown has been first class and again today they were nervous like we were and they were wanting us to do it that badly.

“But we got there in the end and they thoroughly deserve it so I can’t thank them enough.

“I’ve come across a lot of good supporters over the years at the club’s I’ve been at and again Dover fans are up there.”

Visit Dover Athletic’s websites: www.doverathletic.com & www.dafctv.co.uk

www.kentishfootball.co.uk Congratulates everyone at Dover Athletic Football Club on their success.