THE RELENTLESS FOOTBALL CLOCK

Printed in the National League South game v Weymouth Saturday 7th October 2023  We drew 0-0 in front of 976

Sometimes its good to get a bloody nose. Not that many people probably felt that at the time. As my plane landed back in Gatwick, twitter or whatever its called this week, informed me that Slough had lost to Tonbridge – badly and tamely in the second half. Scott Davies was embarrassed and we were rooted to the bottom of the table.

Most Slough fans want Scotty to do well. He’s a top bloke, who has assembled a young exciting attacking squad but the goals just weren’t going in.

Fast forward a week and we had beaten Dartford away, Aveley at home and knocked Hayes and Yeading out of the FA Cup. This was more like it.

As you come into Dartford you can see why its one of the fastest growing most popular towns in Kent. It feels clean, spacious, decent bus service, decent pubs...and then there is an impressive stadium.

My only concern was the sign saying built by the Conservatives. Was it made from the crumbliest, flakiest concrete? Was it going to fall on our heads?

To be fair to the former Tory Leader of the council Jeremy Kite, he hit the nail on the head on what a new football stadium can do for an area.

“Everyday, councils throw bucket loads of money at schemes to deal with anti-social behaviour, childhood obesity, community cohesion, civic pride and community relations. Here in Dartford, we took the view that rather than fund a series of expensive here today- gone tomorrow initiatives, we would invest in football as a catalyst for all those things. I'm sure every Council thinks they are doing things right, but I've never regretted or doubted the wisdom of our investment in a new Stadium. You simply cannot put a price on the sense of pride and worth as a result of The Darts coming home.”

His clear thinking and vision is in total contrast to those now in power, flailing around, blaming anyone but themselves. The education secretary was unrepentant – no one could possibly have predicted that out-of-date concrete might be out of date. Any responsible politician in her position would have done nothing and hoped for the best. Yes they had cut the school buildings project, yes she was the fifth education secretary in a year but it was the schools fault. Surely they should have someone working there who understand concrete. Even a couple of governors who could knock up a new school on the cheap.

Dartford have feet in two camps – bit too big for South but never quite having a go of it in the National League. Their bar was full of cockneys who quite rightly moaned about the beer being served in plastic cups. Maybe the glass ones had been donated by a former education secretary and they were worried they would shatter in our hands.

Then up pops Cliff the former one-man-Lewes-fan who used to run the Dripping Pan gate, rush to the offy to get cans to sell behind the bar, start the singing when Lewes were lucky to get 100 through the turnstiles. Their most successful manager Steve King was even his best man at his wedding. It’s a different Lewes now, their gates have soared and the women and men players get paid the same but it feels more like a wine tasting session than being at a football match. This certainty wasn’t the case when Cliff was leading the charge!

Another great thing about Dartford is there amazing acoustics – we hadn’t bought a drum because apparently no one was going, but in the end about 80 of us stood behind the goal and watched a first half display of determination and skill that warms any supporters cockles. In the end a 2-1 victory, as players and supporters bundled into each other enjoying a rare victory. It also felt for the first time us old gits were outnumbered by the youngsters while Dartford fans complained about being outsung by us.

Next off Hayes. I loved the old Hayes ground but never went to Yeading. With summer refusing to die, I arrived early for a pre pint curry then beers with various Rebels in a gloriously, heart warming packed pub.

I chatted to an old guy in the pub who used to play for Yeading when they used to win everything. He said he couldn’t support the merged club and we heard similar from old Hayes fans, but times change. Mind you, try telling that to a couple of groundhoppers complaining that Hayes was now in the ultra low emission zone and they wouldn’t be coming. It’s a strange hill to die on.

Hayes and Yeading has all the makings of an impressive stadium with a really top quality stand, but being at the end of an industrial estate can’t be good for crowds. Maybe that’s why they struggled getting us all in in time with lots of us missing the opening exchanges. The stand behind one goal was also out of action cos the council were worried about hibernating newts, complaining that the stand was built a fraction to high. As one Hayes official pointed out, if that’s a problem why is there a massive industrial steel monstrosity being constructed at the other end of the ground.

In the end Slough never looked that troubled and we progressed to the next round, making it three wins on the bounce and early season jitters banished to another time.

Guess which stand the council said could harm the newts