The homecoming
The last time I watched Dartford FC play a home game in the town was in 1992. I don't remember much, except that the Watling Street ground was full of thousands of people, the atmosphere was electric and that everyone else was very tall...
After 14 years, Dartford finally have a home again. Princes Park, our new stadium, played host to the first game on Saturday, when Dartford beat Horsham YMCA 4-2. It was a fantastic game, played in front of a capacity crowd, and crowned a brilliant day of celebrations.
Having been involved with the football club since as long as I can remember, I was lucky enough to be invited to a sneak-preview of the stadium on Friday night. It wasn't completely finished: there were still TV's to put on the walls, door handles to affix, stickers to remove. The Health & safety certificate was awarded with 16 hours until opening! But considering that on November 14, 2005, the land was still an empty field, no-one minded. What mattered was that we finally had somewhere to call home.
The big day itself felt very strange. Although it was the same familiar faces helping out and organising (and even though I was manning the club shop for 2½ hours!), there was something very strange about being there. I suppose it was because the ground didn't really feel like home because it wasn't - not until the first ball had been kicked. Or maybe just not until I knew my way around. Until then it just felt like another stadium we were visiting. That, and the fact that there were jugglers, a steel band, face-painting stalls, a marching band, keepy-uppy performers, a Rolling Stones tribute group and 4,099 other people milling around...
Finally, after all the hype, the game itself could get underway. Sadly, it was too cloudy for the ball to be parachuted in by the Red Devils (seriously), but that really didn't matter. A minute's silence focused the crowd (and was perfectly observed) felt relieving. Then it was on: 4,100 people began shouting, clapping and cheering on the Darts. The game – a good one for the neutral, with 6 goals – flew by. The fireworks display at the end felt surreal.
Dartford are back in the borough, where they belong. Our troubles may not be over: there's still a long way to go. We've got a strong side; we've always had an incredibly strong fan base; now we have somewhere of our own, something very real and very tangible to be proud of. A home.
After 14 years, Dartford finally have a home again. Princes Park, our new stadium, played host to the first game on Saturday, when Dartford beat Horsham YMCA 4-2. It was a fantastic game, played in front of a capacity crowd, and crowned a brilliant day of celebrations.
Having been involved with the football club since as long as I can remember, I was lucky enough to be invited to a sneak-preview of the stadium on Friday night. It wasn't completely finished: there were still TV's to put on the walls, door handles to affix, stickers to remove. The Health & safety certificate was awarded with 16 hours until opening! But considering that on November 14, 2005, the land was still an empty field, no-one minded. What mattered was that we finally had somewhere to call home.
The big day itself felt very strange. Although it was the same familiar faces helping out and organising (and even though I was manning the club shop for 2½ hours!), there was something very strange about being there. I suppose it was because the ground didn't really feel like home because it wasn't - not until the first ball had been kicked. Or maybe just not until I knew my way around. Until then it just felt like another stadium we were visiting. That, and the fact that there were jugglers, a steel band, face-painting stalls, a marching band, keepy-uppy performers, a Rolling Stones tribute group and 4,099 other people milling around...
Finally, after all the hype, the game itself could get underway. Sadly, it was too cloudy for the ball to be parachuted in by the Red Devils (seriously), but that really didn't matter. A minute's silence focused the crowd (and was perfectly observed) felt relieving. Then it was on: 4,100 people began shouting, clapping and cheering on the Darts. The game – a good one for the neutral, with 6 goals – flew by. The fireworks display at the end felt surreal.
Dartford are back in the borough, where they belong. Our troubles may not be over: there's still a long way to go. We've got a strong side; we've always had an incredibly strong fan base; now we have somewhere of our own, something very real and very tangible to be proud of. A home.
