Category: First Team News

MATCHDAY HOSPITALITY ON SALE NOW

Why not watch our opening home National League South game against Hungerford Town at Crabble on Saturday in style?

Tickets are now on sale for the VIP Platinum Suite for the game and they will only be on sale until noon on Friday, August 12th.

To watch all the action from the best seats in the house and to enjoy a very special experience costs £28 per person.

Please note that this price does NOT include entry for non-season ticket holders who do attend, and they will still need to pay on the turnstile on the day.

The experience includes:

  • Butler hosted lounge with large TVs and a projector showing the game

  • A three-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 1pm and food will be served at 1.30pm.

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 buy your passes please email [email protected] or call the office on 01304 822373

We very much look forward to welcoming you to the suite soon.

VIDEO: PLAYER REACTION

Defender Tyrone Sterling spoke to BBC Radio Kent’s Matt Gerrard after the 1-1 draw at Worthing in our National League South opener on Saturday.

VIDEO: MANAGER REACTION

Andy Hessenthaler spoke to BBC Radio Kent’s Matt Gerrard after the 1-1 draw at Worthing in our National League South opener on Saturday.

Jake Robinson gave the hosts a fifth-minute lead before captain Lee Martin equalised eight minutes before half-time.

Ollie Pearce fired wide from the penalty spot for Worthing four minutes into the second half and it needed an excellent save from Harrison Male to deny Tyrone Sterling from scoring a late winner for Dover two minutes from time.

MATCH PREVIEW: WORTHING VS DOVER ATHLETIC

Dover begins life in the National League South with a trip to fellow league newcomers Worthing on Saturday afternoon (3pm).

Our hosts won promotion last season as Champions of the Isthmian Premier Division, finishing 10 points ahead of their nearest challengers, Bishop Stortford.

Andy Hessenthaler won’t be in the dugout for Whites as the manager will be serving the first of his two-game ban following his red card against Weymouth in the final game of last season.

He will be replaced by Academy manager Mike Sandmann (pictured), who has been at training with the team this week.

A LOOK AT OUR OPPONENTS

Worthing has been busy over the summer, bringing in eight players.

The most notable signings are Adam El Abd and Jake Robinson from Whitehawk and Dartford, respectively. Both players were regulars at Brighton & Hove Albion for a number of years, with El Abd hitting 300 games during his 11-year spell at the club.

Dan Bowry has also joined the club from King’s Lynn Town. He brings a lot of National League experience having played 20 times for The Linnets last season.

Also joining the club includes the likes of Kane Willis and Callum Kealy from Dorking Wanderers, Charlie Towning from Eastbourne Borough, Lewis White from Carshalton Athletic, and Nodirbek Bobomurodov from Hungerford Town.

DOVER TEAM NEWS 

Goalkeeper Stuart Nelson and defender Will Moses will miss the game through injury while midfielder George Wilkinson is suspended following his red card against Weymouth in the final game of last season.

Millwall loanee Ryan Sandford will replace Nelson in the starting line-up.

DOVER COLOURS

For fans heading to the game wanting to wear the same shirts as the players, we will be wearing our new home kit.

COVERAGE

The game kicks off at 3pm but if you are unable to make the trip, BBC Radio Kent will be providing commentary HERE

Please note that there will be no coverage of the game on Twitter @DAFCLiveText 

TICKET INFORMATION

Tickets are available to buy in advance HERE

SATURDAY’S OTHER NATIONAL LEAGUE SOUTH FIXTURES

Bath City vs Dartford

Chelmsford City vs St Albans City

Cheshunt vs Hampton & Richmond Borough

Dulwich Hamlet vs Braintree Town

Ebbsfleet United vs Chippenham Town

Havant & Waterlooville vs Farnborough

Hungerford Town vs Concord Rangers

Oxford City vs Eastbourne Borough

Taunton Town vs Welling United

Weymouth vs Tonbridge Angels

2022/23 SQUAD NUMBERS CONFIRMED

We can now confirm our official squad numbers for the 2022/23 season.

The players will also have their names on the playing shirts.

The returning Tyrone Sterling will be wearing the number 16 shirt – the same number he wore during his previous time with us, while fellow returnee Mitch Brundle will have the number seven on his back.

Stuart Nelson has the number one jersey while the other goalkeeper in the squad, Millwall loanee Ryan Sandford, has been issued with number 23.

Squad numbers in full:

1. Stuart NELSON

2. Myles JUDD

3. Alfie PAXMAN

4. Arjanit KRASNIQI

5. Will MOSES

6. Jake GOODMAN

7. Mitch BRUNDLE

8. Jordan HIGGS

9. Alfie PAVEY

10. Luke WANADIO

11. Lee MARTIN

12. Alex GREEN 

14. George WILKINSON

16. Tyrone STERLING

17. Chike KANDI

19. Noah CARNEY

21. George NIKAJ

22. Luke BAPTISTE

23. Ryan SANDFORD

24. Harrison BYFORD 

25. Reece GRANT

LION JOINS ON LOAN

We are delighted to confirm that goalkeeper Ryan Sandford has today joined the club on an initial one-month loan from Sky Bet Championship side Millwall.

The 23-year-old arrives at Crabble after summer signing Stuart Nelson injured his hamstring early in the game at Folkestone Invicta last Saturday and has been ruled out of the start of our National League South campaign, starting at Worthing on Saturday.

He’s a regular in the club’s under-23 side and has made the bench for the first team.

Sandford, who joined The Lions in July 2017 and has been capped at England U16, U17, and U18 levels, has previously had loan spells with Dorking, Welling, and Maidstone United.

Welcome to the club, Ryan!

 

WHITES SIGN FORWARD

Dover Athletic is delighted to have completed the signing of forward Chike Kandi.

The 26-year-old former Dagenham & Redbridge, Aldershot Town, and Dulwich Hamlet frontman, who can also play on the wing, played as a trialist in our final pre-season game at Folkestone Invicta last Saturday.

He made over 100 appearances in all competitions in three seasons with the Daggers, including 78 in the National League, before joining Aldershot ahead of the 20/21 season.

Kandi, who came up through the youth ranks at Chelsea and Brighton, made 35 National League appearances during his time with the Shots before he made the move to Dulwich Hamlet last season, where he made 32 appearances for the National League team.

Welcome to the club, Chike!

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

ALEX GETS THE GREEN-LIGHT

Dover Athletic is delighted to announce that Academy graduate Alex Green has put pen-to-paper on his first professional contract with the club.

The 19-year-old defender made his National League debut as a second-half substitute against Boreham Wood at Crabble last August before a foot injury ruled him out for the season.

Green, the former Academy captain, proved his fitness during pre-season and has now earned his opportunity.

He joins fellow Academy graduates Will Moses, Noah Carney, Harrison Byford, George Nikaj, Luke Baptiste, and George Wilkinson in Andy Hessenthaler’s squad

Congratulations Alex and all the very best for the season.

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

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITY

Dover Athletic Football Club has one more unique kit sponsorship opportunity available ahead of the 2022/23 season kick-off.

Whilst we already have sponsors for the front, sleeve and back of our home and away shirts, we can now offer the opportunity to have your company logo on the back of the match shorts.

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]

Many thanks go to our existing sponsors for their continued support:

Megger Group Limited – Front of shirt

Be Wise Gas & Plumbing – Sleeve

GSL Group – Back of shirt

Pulse – Back of shirt

 

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