No one has the divine right for success, says Dover Athletic chairman Jim Parmenter

DOVER ATHLETIC chairman Jim Parmenter has asked disillusioned fans’ to support under-fire manager Martin Hayes, writes Stephen McCartney.


Hayes, 45, has come under a barrage of abuse both towards the end of matches and on internet fans’ forums, following the club’s start to the Blue Square Bet South campaign, and the club are presently in 12^th place in the table with 15 points from 11 games – eleven points behind leaders’ Woking and Dartford.

Yesterday, a crowd of 735 turned out to see Dover’s 1-1 home draw against Havant & Waterlooville, which is club’s lowest crowd of the season.

Mr Parmenter issued a statement in yesterday’s match-day programme, which was also published on the club’s official website www.doverathletic.com before the game.

“We have heard much over recent weeks from the vocal minority about everything that is wrong with this club, its manager and its board of directors,” he said, in response to director Roger Knight posting a message on the fans’ forum asking for fans’ opinions on off-the-field matters at Crabble.

“However, I have to say that as I walk around the ground on matchdays and other times, I am often approached by members of the silent majority of our fan base who, whilst they share my frustration and disappointment over our league position, take a much more balanced approach to discussing it without obscene comments or personal vitriolic abuse which, unfortunately, we have seen from some in recent times.

“Most of our supporters understand that we are just in one moment of time and that we continue to work hard for success. 

“If adjustments are required they will be made, but only if and when the board decide it necessary.  Vitriolic abuse and obscene chanting will not change that position, so please refrain from it and get behind the team.

“No one has the divine right to win a football match or for success.  Plans and desires are simply aspirations which we all work towards achieving, not guarantees.”

Hayes led the Whites to the third round of The FA Cup last season, following heroic wins over Gillingham (who are managed by former boss Andy Hessenthaler), Aldershot Town, before bowing out to two early goals at Huddersfield Town in the third round last January.

“As far as my record as a chairman is concerned, it speaks for itself,” added Mr Parmenter. 

“A club, previously in debt to the tune of £400,000 in CVA (company voluntary arrangement), facing a winding up order, has been transformed to a club with no debt, playing at level 2 of non-league football and striving for promotion to level 1 (the Conference Premier). 

“In six years we have made play-off’s three times, had two championship winning years and made the third round of the FA Cup for the first time in the club’s history, finishing two points off the play-off’s.

“I have made some mistakes along the way, but on balance most chairmen in the country would kill for that record.”

Dover Athletic welcome Carshalton Athletic to Crabble in the second qualifying round of the FA Cup next Saturday.

The Surrey side are in fourteenth place in the Ryman Premier League table and they have collected nine of their ten points on their travels.

Quotes courtesy of www.doverathletic.com

Dover Athletic  v  Carshalton Athletic
FA Cup with Budweiser Second Qualifying Round
Saturday 1^st October 2011
Kick Off 3:00pm
At Crabble, Lewisham Road, River, Dover, Kent CT17 0JB