As we prepare to step back into the National League South for the 2025/26 season, there’s a very different feeling around Crabble compared to the last time we were at this level. A little over a year ago, we were licking our wounds after a bottom-place finish, facing questions about our future and wondering how long it would take to climb back. Fast forward twelve months and we’re returning with momentum, unity and quiet determination, built not on big spending but on belief, togetherness and the hard yards put in by a group that has refused to give up on this football club.
Our promotion via the Isthmian Premier Division play-offs last season was anything but straightforward. We began with optimism and took the division by storm, taking fourteen points from our opening eight matches, and by Boxing Day we were seven points clear at the top of the table. At that point, we looked the team to beat. But football rarely gives you a smooth ride, and a tough start to the new year tested us all. We picked up just seven points across January and early February, and suddenly the table tightened. We dropped out of the title race altogether and knew we needed a result on the final day at Chichester to even make the top five.
That we responded with a 3-1 win, and then marched through the play-offs with wins over Billericay Town and Dartford, said everything about the character of this group. We didn’t fold when it got hard. We found a way. From the grit shown in extra time at Billericay to the composure and quality we showed in front of nearly 4,000 fans at Princes Park, it was a run built on resilience, belief and team spirit.
This summer has been all about building on that. Jake has kept faith in the group that got us promoted, and rightly so. It’s easy to assume success comes from signing big names or spending big, but our experience has shown that spirit and cohesion matter just as much. You don’t need the most expensive squad to win football matches. You need a group willing to work for each other, to learn quickly and to be brave in tough moments. That’s what this team is all about.
Retaining players like Mitch Walker, Ruben Soares-Junior, Alfie Matthews, George Nikaj and Luke Baptiste was key. They were central to what made us successful, not just in terms of performances but in driving the standards every day. Ruben’s 24 goals last season were vital, but it’s his leadership off the pitch that has really made an impact. Alfie found form at exactly the right moment. And George and Luke, two former Academy lads, led our line with fearlessness and energy well beyond their years.
Jake has added smartly too. Ryan Hanson’s return gives us not just quality but local pride and a real connection to our fanbase. Decarrey Sheriff brings experience and attacking threat after a strong season with Billericay. Defenders Harry Beadle and Jalen Jones, along with the versatile Henry Lukombo and Momodou Jallow, give us depth and athleticism. And we’ve continued our commitment to youth by handing first-team terms to Essa Jadama, Tristan Holden and Jake McCarthy, all of whom will benefit from senior minutes on dual registration.
Our link-up with Chislehurst Glebe FC is also an important step forward. Foxbury Avenue, now with a brand new 3G surface and gym facilities, will be one of our official training bases. It gives us more flexibility and a professional environment for our players to develop. It’s also another sign of how we’re thinking long-term, building relationships, infrastructure and pathways that will support the club in years to come.
Pre-season has given us plenty to be positive about. A thumping 6-0 win over Deal Town and a confident 2-0 performance against Adam Birchall’s Arsenal’s Under-18s were standouts, and even in more difficult games like the narrow 1-0 defeat to Gillingham or the 4-3 loss to Folkestone, there were obvious signs of the attacking threat we’re capable of. Our comeback from 3-0 down to draw 3-3 with Bracknell Town showed the fighting spirit is still very much intact.
Of course, there should be no illusions about the challenge ahead. This season’s National League South is a beast. With the division now sponsored by Enterprise Rent-A-Car and the introduction of the multiball system across all three tiers, there’s a new level of professionalism to match the ambition on the pitch. At least eight clubs in the division are full-time. Some, like Dagenham & Redbridge and Torquay United, were playing in the Football League not long ago. The likes of Ebbsfleet, Maidstone and Dorking Wanderers are all gunning for promotion and have the resources to match.
But we’re not here to make up the numbers. We know we’ll be seen as underdogs, but that suits us. There’s a real sense of purpose among this squad, a hunger to prove themselves again. Our budget may not match the top teams in the league, but thanks to incredible backing from our sponsors and strong season ticket sales, we’ve been able to stretch just enough to keep the group together and add where needed.
Our fixture list hands us an exciting start. We begin at Crabble against AFC Totton, another newly-promoted side. That’s followed by trips to Bath City and Eastbourne Borough before a home tie against Dagenham & Redbridge. Over the festive period, we’ll renew rivalries with Maidstone and Ebbsfleet, and we welcome Torquay early in the new year. We finish at home to Chesham, seven days after our final away day at Maidenhead, another big name returning to this level.
Behind the scenes, the club is in a healthier place too. Our matchday team is expanding, our digital platforms continue to grow, and our community work continues to make an impact. The healthy crowds over preseason reminded everyone just how much support this club still has. The lift in energy around Crabble over the last year has been obvious. There’s optimism again.
So here we are. Back in the big leagues, against bigger budgets and bigger names. But we’re bringing heart, togetherness and something to prove. This team is not afraid of the challenge. In fact, they’re embracing it.
Let’s get going.
George Cory, Media Officer, Dover Athletic FC