Category: Community News

Community News

FUNDRAISING APPEAL UPDATE

Contributions continue to be made to a fundraising appeal initiated by one of our fans, James Pearce.

James started a JustGiving page in April after the club was given a 12-point deduction for next season and fined £40,000 for not fulfilling fixtures by an independent panel commissioned by the National League.

As of today, a fantastic £6,285 has been raised and we as a club are really appreciative of each and every donation that has been made.

We would like to thank you all for your continued support.

The JustGiving page link is here

COYW!!

MASTERCLASS FULL

Manager Andy Hessenthaler’s junior coaching session at Crabble on June 1st is now completely full less than a day after being advertised.

If you would like your child to be put on the waiting list please email [email protected]

Many thanks for your tremendous support of the event for boys and girls, aged between 14-16.

Due to the popularity of the event, another session for another age group is being planned, so please keep checking in with this website.

COACHING MASTERCLASS

Andy Hessenthaler will be giving young players the chance to experience what it’s like to train as a professional with him during a coaching session at Crabble on June 1st.

The Dover Athletic Manager will be joined by Dover Athletic Academy Manager Mike Sandmann in offering youngsters, both boys and girls, aged between 14-16 the chance to come along and learn during a two-hour quality session from 10am until noon.

An opportunity to train with Academy is an incentive for any aspiring young player who impresses on the day.

Dover Athletic goalkeeper Josh Bexon and Ryan Hanson, a midfielder, who spent time on loan with us from Championship side Hull City earlier this season, will also be on hand to help and give advice.

Hanson started playing football for Dover Rangers when he was six and has also represented Dover District, Kent, and spent five years with Crystal Palace.

Hessenthaler said: “I’m really keen to get involved and this is a great way to help players improve their game while giving something back to the community.

“I’m really looking forward to working with them and hopefully I will be able to do another coaching session for a younger age group in the future too.”

The cost of the coaching session is £20 and all money raised goes to the club.

Numbers will be strictly limited, with only 30 places available – so don’t miss out!

To register your interest and book your spot please email [email protected], including your child’s name, age, club team, and a contact number.

Places will be subject to availability and are only guaranteed upon receipt of full payment via a bank transfer to the club account (details will be sent by email).

MAKE IT A DATE

It has been a busy few days, so please get your diaries out and take note of some of the first few events we’ve arranged.

Full details of all three events will be available on this website in due course.

We can’t wait to welcome you all back home to Crabble soon.

1st June: Junior coaching session with Manager Andy Hessenthaler

3rd July: Social night in The Centre Spot so we can all get back together with some musical entertainment and basket food

8th August: Fundraising Football match at Crabble between Andy Hessenthaler’s invitational XI and a Supporters XI

Plenty more events are being planned and will be shared with you as soon as we have confirmed all the details.

OFF-FIELD APPOINTMENT MADE

Dover Athletic is delighted to confirm the appointment of Richard Harvey as the club’s new Sponsor Relations Manager.

Richard is already well known to many at the club through his roles as Kit Manager and Managing Editor of the Media Team, roles he has played over the past four years, and ones he will continue to do.

In his new role, Richard will be taking the lead on the club’s duties, forging links with the club’s loyal sponsors and supporters whilst utilising his experience to build new relationships within the town and surrounding areas.

Chairman Jim Parmenter said: “During his time with us, Richard has proved to be a highly motivated individual who is always doing his best for the club in whatever role he plays.

“He has a wealth of experience working in professional sport throughout the world and he has a willingness to succeed.

“He already has plenty of great plans on the drawing board, including a Sporting Legends Golf Day and a Charity Football match at Crabble in which fans will get the opportunity to play against Manager Andy Hessenthaler’s Dover Athletic Invitational team.

“We all know that the club is facing a difficult time off the field and we need all the support we can get, but we want to be positive and forward-thinking as we strive to do things a little better, each day.

“We are delighted to have Richard working with us in this role now and if you want to be a part of this building process, one that unites us as a community, we want to hear from you.

“We have a wide range of packages to suit all budgets, ensuring there is an option to suit any business or supporter regardless of size.

“We look forward to working with you.”

You can contact Richard to discuss all the opportunities we have available at [email protected] or call him on 07476 212120.

FUNDRAISING UPDATE

Dover Athletic would like to acknowledge the tremendous continued support for a fundraising appeal initiated by one of our fans, James Pearce.

James started a JustGiving page after the club was given a 12-point deduction for next season and fined £40,000 for not fulfilling fixtures by an independent panel commissioned by the National League.

The amount raised stands at just shy of £6,000 today and we would like to thank each and every supporter for their donation.

The JustGiving page link is here

COYW!!

STRIKER LOTTERY IS BACK

The Striker Lottery will resume today after being suspended due to the COVID-19 lockdown in January.

Striker Lottery Manager, Harry Reid, said: ”The week numbers will continue from where we left off.

“The last draw was Week 9, so today’s will be Week 10 – this is so the system will recognize the credit payments.

”This will keep you at the same credit level as you were on before we stopped and any payments made since then will have been added to that credit.

“Thank you more than ever for your continued support and patience.”

If you have any questions, you can email Harry at [email protected] or call him on 01304 822373 (option 4) on a Wednesday only.

CHAIRMAN’S UPDATE

Dover Athletic Chairman Jim Parmenter has tonight opened up on the situation the club currently finds itself in and the tough challenges ahead.

He said: “I would like to provide supporters and the many well-wishers who have contacted the club, with an update regarding our appeal against sanctions imposed by the National league and preparations for next season.

“For obvious reasons, I am unable to provide any detail around the substance of our appeal, which now looks unlikely to take place before mid-June but suffice to say we have appointed Queen’s Counsel to represent us at the hearing.

“I must pay tribute to and thank both Sean Gorman and Simon Tovey of the Outset Group Maidstone for their legal and practical advice, which quite frankly has been superb.

“It has been freely given, extremely thorough and without them, we could not have come this far and all our supporters should be extremely appreciative of what they have done for our club and we are as confident as we can be that we have a just and indisputable case.

“Our local MP Natalie Elphick is also on the case and I understand representations will be made at the Ministerial level as well as with Tracy Crouch’s inquiry into football governance.

“I am extremely heartened by all the messages of support from all over the country as well as the football media’s vocal support.

“I would also like to thank from the bottom of my heart all those people from far and wide who have contributed to the JustGiving page that has been set up by one of our fans.

“With regard to next season, Hess (Andy Hessenthaler) will continue as Manager and obviously, we will be starting in a compromised position (regardless of the appeal outcome.

“We will not be able to compete financially with the big rich clubs in the league, but we are planning an ‘alternative approach’ because the financial madness which is prevalent in our league currently is not sustainable and is destroying the game aided and abetted by the hopeless administrative structure at our level.

“What we will need as a club is for the whole town and district to come together to help us regroup and show the establishment that we will not be bullied.

“We stand united for what is right and just and we will not be cowed.

“So, please, recruit a friend, make a purchase from the shop, buy a season ticket when the time comes, sponsor us in some way, but most of all please come to the games and cheer the team on.

“Let us show the world of football that the people of Dover really do care about their club.

“Let us show football there is a better way!

“In the meantime, please keep safe and get your jab when the time comes.”

APPEAL TO RAISE FUNDS FOR CLUB

Dover Athletic would like to say a huge thank you to all those people who have donated to a fundraising appeal initiated by one of our fans, James Pearce.

James started a JustGiving page after the club was given a 12-point deduction for next season and fined £40,000 last week for not fulfilling fixtures by an independent panel commissioned by the National League.

As a club, we can assure you that we need every penny we can get at this time as we appeal the decision.

The JustGiving page link is here

We thank you one and all for your continued support.

COYW!!

STRIKER LOTTERY SUSPENDED

The Striker Lottery has been suspended until further notice due to the new COVID-19 lockdown.

The draw for this week has been made and the results will be published shortly.

Striker Lottery Manager, Harry Reid, said: “Given the current situation we are all in, we have found ourselves in a position where not only can our agents not collect from certain establishments (pubs, clubs, shops, etc), we are in a situation where we cannot put our agents and customers in danger when collecting door-to-door.

“This situation leaves the income for the lottery far less than that of the current prize money which gives us no alternative but to suspend the Striker Lottery until such time as the COVID situation improves.

“Please do not worry if you are in credit, or become in credit during the suspension, when we restart the total credit you had from week 09 will still be there in full.”

In regard to bank standing orders, Reid said: “The Striker Lottery System does not hold your personal bank details; therefore should you wish to suspend your standing order while we are in this situation, you yourself will have to notify your bank. We will give a statement on restarting to give you time to notify your bank when to restart the standing order.

“However, if you leave your standing order being paid into the Striker Account, when we commence again your payments will be in credit and we can always then review the situation as to how we go forward.

“Please be assured you will not lose your money. The Striker account is separate to that of the Club and I will each week download the Standing Orders and will therefore know exactly how much each member has in credit.

“We are not closing the Striker Lottery down, only suspending it due to the present situation, so thank you for your loyal support and please stay safe.

“We as a club would also like to thank all of those members who have donated their regular Striker Lottery payments to the football club as donations, while the lottery is suspended – the gesture is very much appreciated by us all at the club.”