We've got to compete and find a way of closing the gap between us and the pros, says Paul Sawyer

DARTFORD assistant manager Paul Sawyer says the club will be on a big learning curve throughout their first campaign in the top-flight of non-league football in 26 years’.



The Darts finished as runners-up in Blue Square Bet (Conference) South last season and joined champions Woking in the Conference Premier after beating Basingstoke Town (over two-legs) and Welling United in the play-off lottery.

Boss Tony Burman has yet made any summer signings, although he is talking to numerous players who have previously played in full-time football.

The Darts opened their pre-season campaign with a 3-1 win over Kent League neighbours, Crayford based, VCD Athletic last Thursday on the 3G pitch at Princes Park Stadium.

Ryan Hayes, 27 today and the club’s longest serving player, Nathan Collier and Eugene Worifah scored the goals as the Darts defeated Ricky Bennett’s side.

First half goals from trialist, former Dover Athletic striker Donovan Simmonds and midfielder James Rogers sealed a 2-0 win over Ryman League Division One North neighbours Thamesmead Town yesterday.

With Burman away on business commitments, Sawyer, 46, spoke about the challenges ahead for everybody at Princes Park this season.

The Darts will lock horns with some big clubs this season, including the likes of Luton Town, Wrexham, Cambridge United, Mansfield Town, the list goes on…

Sawyer, whose son Ryan made a seven minute cameo against Thamesmead Town at Bayliss Avenue yesterday, said: “I’ve been through the tough times at the club, as well as the recent good times.  Each time we achieve something I don’t forget about the times when we were playing at Erith & Belvedere’s old ground (Park View), Purfleet, at Cray Wanderers (Oxford Road) when I was playing and it was survival.

“I remember how close it probably came to the club just folding when we was at Gravesend & Northfleet and the ground (Princes Park) came around at the right time and since then it’s been progression very quickly.”

Since moving in to Princes Park in November 2006, Burman has guided the Kent club to three promotions in the past six years.

Sawyer said: “To get where we are now has been absolutely amazing!  It’s a tribute to a lot of people who have put in a lot of time and effort in to this club. Some of them aren’t with us now unfortunately. 

“It’s a great success story and the pressure’s there to keep that going isn’t it.  We’ve got to try and maintain that progress.  Each league we go into gets harder and harder and that’s the challenges everybody at the club now face.”

Dartford’s part-time players and management team will have to get on with their day-jobs while most of their Conference Premier rivals will be enjoying the life of a professional footballer.

“Tony has spoken to a few managers and has phoned them during the day and they’re just going onto the training pitch at ten o’clock in the morning. All our lads’ are at work,” said Sawyer.

“Apparently Luton are having their pre-season out in Portugal.

“It’s a totally different ball game now. It’s a whole new ball game. We have to compete with teams, not so long ago I remember Luton were in the top division.  Grimsby, Stockport and teams like that, so to be there competing with them on a level playing field is brilliant.

“We have to find a way of closing that gap between the part-time and the professional bit.  That’s the challenge we’ve got this year and we take encouragement to seeing what (part-time sides) Ebbsfleet (14^th place) and Braintree (12^th place) have done and we’ve seen it’s possible to compete and that’s what we’ve got to do this year.

“We’ve got to compete and find a way of closing that gap, but it’s a big learning curve for the players, for the coaching staff, for the manager, everybody who is running the club and hopefully it will be a great experience for all of us and the supporters.

“It’s great for supporters now to go to those clubs because a few years ago they were competing at the very top of our game.

“It’s a massive season but we can’t get too carried away with it too much. We’ve got to have a level head and make sure we do things right.

“We’ve done tremendously well to get there.  Now we have to find a way to stay there and compete and that’s the big challenge for everybody this year.”

Despite playing non-league’s elite, what is refreshing is that the Darts haven’t forgotten their roots and are travelling to Kent clubs who have helped them in the past.

They travel to Park View Road on Tuesday night to take on Erith & Belvedere, who finished runners-up in the Kent League last season.

The Deres, who are managed by former Dartford player Micky Collins, have opened their pre-season campaign with wins over lower league opposition.

They began with a 3-0 win over Warlingham and then they defeated Kent Invicta League side Rusthall 3-1 yesterday, courtesy of goals from Carl Cornell and Drew Crush – their two summer signings from Tunbridge Wells – and striker Andy Constable.

Sawyer insists Dartford remain grounded, despite their lofty status nowadays.

He said: “You don’t want to forget your roots.  There’s a lot of these clubs who have been good to us in the past and there’s no way we want to forget that.

“If we can help them a little bit by giving them a friendly and getting them 150 fans helps and in fairness it helps us. It’s good to have those games to build up for the bigger games (against Gillingham next Saturday, West Ham United, Leyton Orient and Arsenal).

“We’ll pay them the utmost respect and treat it seriously as it’s a part of pre-season.”

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

Erith & Belvedere  v  Dartford
Pre-Season Friendly
Tuesday 17^th July 2012
Kick Off 7:45pm
At Park View Road, Welling, Kent DA16 1SY