Darts look forward to lucrative pre-season

Saturday 04th July 2009

DARTFORD co-chairman Dave Skinner says the high-profile pre-season games against Norwich City, Gillingham and Millwall this summer will generate enough money tokeep the club going until Christmas, writes Stephen McCartney.

Seven days before the visit of Bryan Gunn’s Canaries, Mr Skinner has told www.kentishfootball.co.uk that ticket sales are going well and that the Ryman Premier League club are expecting at least 2,000 fans to flock through the turnstiles for the club’s first warm-up game.

And he is pleased with the interest that Norwich City supporters have, for their first ever visit to Princes Park, which see’s the return of former Dartford striker Cody McDonald, who signed for the Norfolk club on the last day of the winter transfer window.

“Adding up the books that have gone out to be sold, we’re looking at around 1800-1900 at the moment,” said a delighted Mr Skinner.

“A lot of them, the vast majority are Norwich fans.

Games against Norwich City and Millwall (Tuesday, 28th July) are ALL-TICKET affairs, although Gillingham’s visit on Tuesday 14th July is pay on the gate.

“Basically if we sell 2,000 (tickets) for Norwich and 2,000 for Millwall, then that equates for a full house for one (game), which is what we obviously try and do for a pre-season to give us funds to go through the season,” said Mr Skinner.

“This is money, together with the season ticket money, that will last us through until Christmas probably, assuming we don’t raise anymore. We still get our regular money coming in sponsorship and the rest of it, this money alone, pre-season money, will keep us in a nice healthy position until Christmas.”

When asked how many season tickets the Princes Park club have sold, Mr Skinner replied, “We’ve just gone into the period of without the discount, because up until last Wednesday they can get them at last season’s princes.

“We’re probably up to around 150, somewhere round there at the moment, getting on to 200.”

He added: “Let’s just say we’re financially stable. I wouldn’t like to say that we’re making lots of money because advertising, sponsorship money is way down as everyone else is finding. We’re just surviving, shall we say.”

The Darts are reaping the rewards of playing at Princes Park, and getting promotion from the Ryman Premier League is high on the agenda for everybody at the club.

“After the success of last season, I think we’ve got to improve and if we improve on eighth place we’re virtually in the play-off’s, so basically we’re certainly going for it one way or another,” said Mr Skinner.

“It’s going to be tough, but all we can do is prepare the best way we can.”

He added: “Tony puts enough pressure on himself, without us having to lean on him. I think we all know what we’re aiming for this year. Everyone puts pressure on themselves depending on how successful they want to be.”

And the Darts stalwart is confident fans will flock through the turnstiles to watch Tony Burman’s side in the bread-and-butter of the Ryman Premier League.

“We’d love as many as want to come in,” he said. “But particularly in these economic times I’d be more than happy to maintain our average from last season, 1,120, something like that.

“If we can get a decent cup run this year then obviously that would just be enough to see us through.”

The Darts will have to travel in both the FA Cup and FA Trophy this season.

They will play either Burgess Hill Town or Chipstead in the first qualifying round of the FA Cup on Saturday, 12 September.

And in the first qualifying round of the FA Trophy they face the prospect of travelling to Sittingbourne on Saturday, 17 October - if Gary Abbott’s side get past Wingate & Finchley first.

Mr Skinner says McDonald will certainly get a welcoming reception from the Darts faithful.

“We’re all waiting to see how different he looks with a full pre-season under his belt,” he added.

And the chairman has given Burman’s men an extra incentive to clinch the sole automatic promotion slot next April.

He said: “We’re looking to do pitch works next close season because as you know we’ve had problems with drainage so we’ll be looking to completely redo the pitch and obviously if we avoid the play-off’s and go up straight away, it gives us more time to work on the pitch.”

To get your hands on tickets for the Norwich City and Millwall games, telephone the club on 01322 299 990 - or come to the main reception between the hours of 9am-5pm (Monday to Friday).

Visit Dartford’s websites: www.dartfordfc.co.uk & www.dartfordfootballclub.co.uk

Dartford v Norwich City

(THIS MATCH IS ALL-TICKET)

Pre-Season Friendly

Saturday 11 July 2009

Kick Off 3:00pm

At Princes Park Stadium, Grassbanks, Darenth Road, Dartford, Kent DA1 1RT