Category: Community News

Community News

MATCH PREVIEW: MARGATE VS DOVER

Whites continue their pre-season campaign on Saturday afternoon as they make the trip to Hartsdown Park to take on Margate.

Andy Hessenthaler’s men started pre-season with an outstanding 2-0 win against Gillingham at Crabble last Saturday. Debutant Jordan Higgs opened the scoring on the stroke of half time, with Arjanit Krasniqi’s free kick doubling Whites lead in the second half.

However, Whites were defeated in their second pre-season on Tuesday night as they fell to a 1-0 defeat at Deal Town.

Saturday’s game will be another chance for Hessenthaler to explore the options he has in his squad as we continue to head towards the first game of the league season.

Our hosts are also two games into their pre-season campaign and are currently unbeaten after wins against Glebe and Faversham Town.

Dover last travelled to Hartsdown Park during pre-season before the 2020-21 season. On that day Whites were victorious in a thrilling game. Steve Rigg opened the scoring, but the home side turned the game around to go 2-1 up with 15 minutes to go. However a late double from one of Whites’ trialists at the time won it for the away side.

The game kicks off at 1pm and admission details can be found here.

Tickets can be purchased before the game, however cash and card is accepted at the turnstiles before the game. Tickets bought for this game will also cover Margate U18’s vs Dover U18’s which is due to be played tomorrow afternoon, after the senior sides have met. This game will kick off at 4pm. 

Whites’ Upcoming Pre-Season Friendlies

  • 16th July: Margate vs Dover Athletic 
  • 20th July: Dover Athletic vs Brighton & Hove Albion
  • 23rd July: Larkfield & New Hythe FC vs Dover Athletic
  • 27th July: Ramsgate vs Dover Athletic 
  • 30th July: Folkestone Invicta vs Dover Athletic

HURRY TO BOOK A CURRY

Bookings are now being taken for our curry night in the VIP Platinum Suite for next Wednesday’s (July 20th) pre-season game against Brighton & Hove Albion at Crabble.

This package costs £15 (plus the price of a matchday ticket for any non-season ticket holders) and on the menu will be chicken curry with rice and naan bread.

A vegetarian curry will also be available.

The experience includes:

  • A one-course meal served at your table

  • Reserved undercover premium padded seating

  • Complimentary tea, coffee & mineral water, plus a dedicated paid bar before and after the match

  • Complimentary matchday team sheet

Arrival at the ground should be at 6pm and food will be served at  6.15pm.

There are only 64 spaces available, so all tickets will be sold on a first-come-first-served basis.

The dress code is smart casual.

To book and watch the match from the best seats in the house, call the office on 01304 822373, email [email protected] or pop into our main reception during office hours.

Payment is required at the time of booking.

MATCH PREVIEW: DEAL TOWN VS DOVER

Andy Hessenthaler’s squad is on the road for the first time in their pre-season campaign when they make the short trip to the Charles Ground to play hosts Deal Town at 7.45pm on Tuesday.

Whites started the season with a 2-0 win against Gillingham at Crabble on Saturday thanks to goals from debutant Jordan Higgs and Arjanit Krasniqi.

The Hoops have played three games in their pre-season schedule, losing against visiting Charlton Athletic (2-6), before back-to-back wins against a young Gills XI (3-0) and away at Lydd Town (4-3) last Saturday

Admission Details

Adults – £5

Concessions – £3

Under 18s – Free

Gates, as well as the bar, will be open from 6.30pm.

Last Meeting 

20th July 2021 – Deal Town 0 – 3 Dover Athletic

Whites’ Upcoming Pre-Season Fixtures

  • 12th July: Deal Town vs Dover Athletic 
  • 16th July: Margate vs Dover Athletic 
  • 20th July: Dover Athletic vs Brighton & Hove Albion
  • 23rd July: Larkfield & New Hythe FC vs Dover Athletic
  • 27th July: Ramsgate vs Dover Athletic 
  • 30th July: Folkestone Invicta vs Dover Athletic

VIDEO: MANAGER REACTION

Andy Hessenthaler spoke to BBC Radio Kent’s Matt Gerrard after the 2-0 win against Gillingham in the pre-season opener at Crabble on Saturday.

Debutant Jordan Higgs put Whites ahead two minutes before half-time.

Gills replacement keeper Jake Turner saved Higgs’ first effort before the midfielder headed the rebound home.

Turner had earlier come on to replace our former Charlton Athletic loanee, Ashley Maynard-Brewer, after the Australian dislocated his shoulder.

A superb free-kick from Arjanit Krasniqi in the 50th minute completed the impressive win.

Dover first half: Nelson, Moses, Sterling, Paxman, Higgs, Wilkinson, Baptiste, Byford, Pavey, Carney, Wanadio.

Dover second half: Nelson, Judd, Moses (Agbebi 70mins), Paxman (Skirwayi 66mins), Green, Brundle, Martin, Trialist, Nikaj, Grant, Krasniqi.

Gillingham: Maynard-Brewer (Turner 20mins), Alexander (Wright 60mins), Tutonda (Akehurst 60mins), Baggott (Greenidge 46mins), Mensah (Carter 60mins), Williams (Jefferies 46mins), O’Keefe (Wise 60mins), Reeves (Kashket 46mins), Green (McDonald 60mins), Lee (MacArthur 60mins), Walker (Gbode 60mins). Sub not used: Moore.

Attendance: 917

 

 

 

LET THE GAMES BEGIN

We play host to League 2 opposition this Saturday when manager Andy Hessenthaler’s new-look squad starts its pre-season campaign against Gillingham at Crabble.

The game will give fans their first opportunity to see summer signings Jordan Higgs, Alfie Paxman, Luke Wanadio, Reece Grant, Alfie Pavey, Stuart Nelson, Tyrone Sterling,  Arjanit Krasniqi, Mitch Brundle, and Lee Martin, in action.

The squad started pre-season training last week.

Gills, managed by Hessenthaler’s good friend Neil Harris, have played two games already.

They won 2-0 at Folkestone Invicta last Saturday before a very young Gills side lost 3-0 at Deal Town on Tuesday night.

The game kicks off at 1pm and admission is as follows:

Adults:  £10

Concessions:  £5

Under 11s: Free with a paying adult

Season ticket holders:  Free

LEAGUE FIXTURES RELEASED

We will start our National League South campaign in Sussex when we take on Worthing on August 6th.

Manager Andy Hessenthaler’s side will follow that up with consecutive home games against Hungerford Town and Tonbridge Angels.

Boxing Day sees Whites travel to Dulwich Hamlet before we host them in the reverse fixture on January 1st.

The final game of the regular season will be at home to Weymouth on Saturday, April 29th.

HESS GETS HIS ASSISTANT

Dover Athletic Football Club are delighted to announce the signing of Mitch Brundle as player/assistant to manager Andy Hessenthaler.

The 27-year-old midfielder returns to Crabble after leaving for Dagenham & Redbridge in the summer of 2019.

During his first spell with us, Mitch made 99 appearances and scored 13 goals across all competitions for the club after arriving from Gateshead in May 2017.

Mitch also captained the team and was named Supporters’ Player of the Season and Away Supporters’ Player of the Season at the end of the 2018/19 season.

Since leaving the Daggers, Mitch has played for Barnet and Farnborough.

Please join us in giving Mitch a warm welcome back to Crabble!

If you would like to sponsor Mitch’s home or away playing shirts for the 2022/23 season then please email [email protected] for details.

SECURE YOUR PLACE ON OUR SLEEVE

Dover Athletic Football Club has a unique sponsorship opportunity available ahead of the 2022/23 season.

We are on the lookout for a new official shirt sleeve sponsor for our home and away shirts.

Be Wise Gas & Plumbing Services sponsored the sleeve, which is the left one, for us last season and we thank Director and huge Dover Athletic fan, Jamie Parsons, for that support.

Jamie is continuing to back the club with a pitchside advertising board and we appreciate that and all our other sponsors and advertisers.

It means the sleeve is now up for grabs along with the opportunity to display your company name and logo to improve your brand awareness.

The benefits of getting your company involved are:

  • Brand presence on the shirts which will be visible online, in the media, and to people in the local community
  • Potential TV coverage across the BBC and BT Sport
  • Brand presence on YouTube via video highlights and social media coverage
  • Logo in our matchday programme

If you are interested in finding out more about this opportunity, please email Chairman Jim Parmenter at [email protected]

 

 

 

 

 

 

RYAN’S FAREWELL MESSAGE

By Ryan Hanson

Now that the news of my joining Torquay United has been announced, I wanted to take the time to send a message of thanks to all at the Club and all of the Dover Athletic fans for their support of me and the team throughout last season.

It has been a privilege playing for my hometown club and one that I grew up supporting from the River End.

To go on and be given the honour of captaining the team at such a young age was an amazing experience and one that I am very proud of.

I would like to thank the Gaffer for giving me the opportunity and helping me to develop over the last year and I would also especially like to thank kit manager Richard Harvey for looking after me so well both on and off the pitch.

Whilst the opportunity of playing for a club like Torquay is one that I am excited about, I will always remember my time at Dover, and the buzz I got from the fans singing my name and clapping us off at the end of each game even though results didn’t go our way.

Dover Athletic and its fans are special and I will always look at Dover’s results hoping that better times will soon be back to Crabble.

Thanks for everything and look forward to seeing you in and around Dover when I am back.

HANSON HEADS TO DEVON

Dover Athletic can today confirm that midfielder Ryan Hanson has joined National League side Torquay United for an undisclosed fee, subject to FA approval.

The 21-year-old leaves Crabble after making 33 National League appearances, scoring twice, for his hometown club over the past two seasons.

He made the first seven of those appearances while on loan from Hull City in the 2020/21 season before making the move a permanent one last July.

The former Dover Boys Grammar School student also captained manager Andy Hessenthaler’s team last season after Sam Wood left the club in February.

Everyone at Dover Athletic would like to thank Ryan for everything he did during his time with the Club over the past two seasons and we all wish him all the very best for the future.