We have to give Ravens' a chance to develop, says Council Leader

DARTFORD supporters’ have voiced their concerns over the summer use of the playing surface at Princes Park Stadium, writes Stephen McCartney.

The north Kent club, who pay Dartford Borough Council just £1 a year in rent, clinched promotion to the Ryman Premier League after winning the Ryman League Division One North title at the first attempt following their controversial switch twelve months earlier.

But fans’ are concerned that the playing surface at the £6.5m stadium isn’t being given time to rest and grow during the close season and is being used by Rugby League club Kent Ravens.

However, the Kent public haven’t taken to the northern version of Rugby, and a crowd of around thirty watched their last game last Saturday.

But the man who brought the Darts back home, Cllr Jeremy Kite, stood behind his decision to open the doors throughout the entire year.

“We were keen to demonstrate that Princes Park offered much more than football and were under particular pressure to find a use for it in the close season,” the Conservative politician wrote on the fans’ forum at www.dartfordfootballclub.co.uk.

“The approach from the Ravens was well-thought through and after very careful consultation with the pitch installers, we agreed to offer them the stadium for the summer fixtures to see whether they could develop their game into a decent crowd puller in Dartford.

“Having made a promise, whether it’s a handshake or nod, I am not the sort of person to walk away from it just because things turn different and more advantageous for me later.

“I don’t believe you want a Council Leader who does that. After all, if I was that sort of person I might have promised to bring you home just before an election and found reasons not to do so just after.

“Anyway, if I had known that the stadium was going to be quite so successful , it’s true that we may, just may, have felt confident enough to leave it dark during the summer. However, like I say, that’s hindsight.

“The situation is, we are monitoring the pitch, the attendances, the financial case and the uses, most carefully.

“I get regular reports on what’s happening to various aspects of the stadium and we review lots of things from time to time. That’ll happen to the pitch.”

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