Archives: News

OJEMEN PUTS PEN TO PAPER

Whites make first summer signing.

Boss Mitch Brundle today secures his first signing of the summer to bolster his squad, adding to his already retained list. Peter Ojemen left Margate this summer after impressing during their quest for Kent Cup glory, which ended in a penalty shoot out victory for the ‘Gate. Ojemen had his sights set on playing at a higher level and the club gave the young defender their blessing to depart Hartsdown Park.

The 22-year old Defender can play at either Left-Back or in the Centre, and adds further versatility across Brundle’s new look back line.

Delighted to get the first one over the line. He’s ready to step up at this level after playing over 150 games by the age of 21 and we look forward to bringing him here.

Courtesy of Margate-fc.co.uk

Ojemen featured heavily last season for Margate, barely missing a kick. His previous clubs include Corinthian Casuals, Barking FC, Fisher and Welling Town.

Delighted to get this deal done  and look forward to showing people what I can do this season.

Ojemen will wear the number 4 shirt. Welcome to Crabble, Peter.

COYW.

STRIKER – DID YOU HIT THE NET?

Latest Striker results for Wednesday 7th June

Congratulations to all the winners and better luck next time if your name wasn’t drawn out. It could well be your time next week.

For anyone who doesn’t know how the Striker Lottery works well let me explain if for you. Each week, so long as you have paid your £1 weekly subscription, your number will be entered into a draw. If your number is drawn, congratulations – you’re a winner! It’s as simple as that. The draw is held every Wednesday. Keep an eye on the website and social media pages for full details. Who knows, your number could scoop the £1,000 top prize.

Please note that only paid-for tickets are entered in the draw. For your convenience, your membership fee can be collected from you, or you can pay at the Club Office or, to save time, you can pay monthly or quarterly by standing order.

Contact [email protected] to register your interest and good luck

THE WORLD CUP OF DAFC KITS

Which kit will take the plaudits?

Ever wondered which classic Dover Athletic home shirt is the most majestic? Well wonder no more as we bring you the World Cup of Dover Athletic kits (home edition). The idea crafted by the River End Podcast was wonderfully brought to life through graphics by Jordan Pettman. A selection of shirts were put in a random generator and drawn out to create a knockout style competition. Bringing back to life some of the clubs most iconic retro shirts, the lads have worked this to perfection so I think it’s only fair that it gets the coverage it deserves. Each tie was decided by a poll on Twitter, with the winning shirt moving through to the next round before ultimately being crowned Dover Athletics’ greatest home shirt.

Courtesy of @theriverend1 & Jordan Pettman

Round One

Match one saw the 1993-95 shirt romp through with 76% of the votes. And it was a similar story in match two as the fans voted for the 1992/93 version to triumph over its more recent counterpart.

Match three was a landslide victory over the less fancied Jacetts pinstripe number with over 80% of the votes while in match four, we saw the emergence of our brand new 40th anniversary shirt. It would be the last time we would see the 2023/24 edition as it was beaten by the 1997/98 Daihatsu.

With one half of the draw completed, it was now time to turn attentions to the opposite side.

Match five was a tight affair with the 1995/96 shirt squeezing past with a 55% vote whereas the 2003/04 shirt pipped 07/08 to the post in match six. The 2000 Vandanel won match seven and concluding the first round set of fixtures was the latest shirt, the 2022/23 Megger. The 2010/11 shirt was victorious and marched through to the last eight.

The first game of the quarter final stage saw two heavyweights from the first round clash with the two early Countrywide Derv shirts facing off with the 1993/95 Plaaya shirt knocking out the much fancied Spall version. Next into the action was the 2015/16 shirt which squeezed past the 1997/98 Daihatsu with arguably the closest vote of the competition so far, claiming 51% of the votes to make the last four.

The 1995/96 shirt was a worthy winner against its 2003/04 competitor and found itself through to a semi final spot. Completing the round was the 2000/02 shirt, facing off the 2010/11 version with the millennium shirt edging through with 59% of the voting.

We now have only four shirts remaining for a chance to be crowned Dover’s greatest shirt, probably. You can check out the action as it unfolds if you have a Twitter account. Just follow @theriverend1 for your chance to vote and get involved. If you don’t have Twitter fear not, as we will return once we have completed the final. Great work lads, superb.

The Final Four

With the club entering its 40th anniversary year, you can now pre-order your new home shirt for the coming season. Click HERE for more details.

BE ON THE BOARD – SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR 2023/24

Take a look at our sponsorship opportunities for the 2023/24 campaign.

With the finale of the 2022/23 campaign now concluded, we look forward to another season in the Vanarama National South division with Mitch Brundle taking us forward. With things about to move in a positive manner on the pitch, why not come and join us off the pitch with an abundance of sponsorship opportunities available at the club. We have a range of ways to get your company name and brand advertised in both static and fluid form.

On our Home & Away kits we have the following opportunities available:

  • Shorts Sponsor
  • Back of Shirt Sponsor
  • Shirt Sleeve Sponsor
Have your company brand around the pitch at Crabble or on the stands

Around the ground we have the following:

  • Centre Spot – 37 Metre High Level Hoarding
  • River End – 24 Metre Hoarding
  • Dover End – 24 Metre Hoarding
  • VIP Area – 24 Metre High Level Hoarding

We also have many other exciting opportunities. All commercial sponsors receive two VIP season tickets as part of the package.

If you wish to express an interest and find out more information then don’t hesitate to contact Jim Parmenter on [email protected]

STRIKER – DID YOU HIT THE NET?

Latest Striker results for Wednesday 31st May

Congratulations to all the winners and better luck next time if your name wasn’t drawn out. It could well be your time next week.

For anyone who doesn’t know how the Striker Lottery works well let me explain if for you. Each week, so long as you have paid your £1 weekly subscription, your number will be entered into a draw. If your number is drawn, congratulations – you’re a winner! It’s as simple as that. The draw is held every Wednesday. Keep an eye on the website and social media pages for full details. Who knows, your number could scoop the £1,000 top prize.

Please note that only paid-for tickets are entered in the draw. For your convenience, your membership fee can be collected from you, or you can pay at the Club Office or, to save time, you can pay monthly or quarterly by standing order.

Contact [email protected] to register your interest and good luck

SEASON TICKETS

EARLY BIRD UPDATE

Just over a month to go to take advantage of our EARLY BIRD offer.

Mitch Brundle’s Whites head into the 2023/24 Vanarama National South campaign and they want you to join them. Don’t miss a kick next season by grabbing yourself a season ticket and if purchased by the June cut off date, can net yourself a nifty saving. Season ticket prices have been frozen again this year so don’t delay, grab yours now. An Early Bird ticket means you can watch the Whites for as little as £10.86 per match and includes free seating in the respective areas.

Following Covid and the need to stabilise the football club in the last two seasons, we feel that now we can start to build again and we want you to be a part of that. We asked what it meant to still have a football club.


Below are the prices for the coming campaign and we hope that with you behind the team, we can kick on again. Thank you for your continued support during these tough times, we really do appreciate it.

COYW

Early Bird Prices:

Adult – £250

Concessions – Over 60’s – £214

Under 18’s – £50

After July 1st:

Adult – £331

Concessions – Over 60’s – £290

Under 18’s – £50

Pay on the Gate:

Adult – £17

Concessions – Over 60’s – £15

Under 18’s – £9

Under 11’s FREE with a paying adult.

All season tickets can be purchased by the following options:

  • Call the club office on 01304 822373 (option 2) to pay by card
  • Head up to the club office at Crabble between 9am-5pm (Monday-Friday)

Click HERE to head to the website.

MANAGERS UPDATE

An update from the Gaffer.

I can see lots of people are panicking but there’s no panic.’

Boss Mitch Brundle has been quietly going about his business this summer and while there has been no new signings made as of yet, there are things going on behind the scenes. The club released their retained list last week which included Luke Baptiste, George Wilkinson, George Nikaj and Freddie Oliver. Speaking to Kent Online Sport the gaffer said ‘Those boys have already been playing and training with us all the time, and they’ll be a few more from the Academy involved with the first-team squad. Freddie will be involved again this year – he had school last year. There’s people like George Wilkinson, who didn’t have as much game time towards the end, but there’s a player in there. I’ve got a pre-season now to work with them and try to get the best out of them.’

We said on the retained post that some of the previous squad had been offered contracts but as of yet no one has agreed a deal. ‘Some of them won’t engage yet because they want to relax. They might look for better options. They might want to better themselves, going elsewhere. We can allow them to go and explore their options because we don’t have any ties. The key is to ensure there’s a good relationship between myself and the players, and I’ve got that with everyone that I’ve spoken to. But it comes down to finances and what that player wants – in terms of whether it works for them, with where they live because Juddy (Myles Judd), for example, is over Essex way. There’s a lot of work to be done and a lot can be said. But until anything’s concrete, I don’t like discussing it.’

There have been offers made and agreed in principal with a few players already but the boss is unable to get the deals over the line due to players working on a part time basis. ‘There’s just not been a chance to go to the stadium and actually sign the contract yet. Obviously, when you go part-time, they can’t just go down in midweek and sign a bit of paper – because they’re at work. I can see lots of people are panicking but there’s no panic.’

You can still purchase your EARLY BIRD season ticket HERE.

STRIKER – DID YOU HIT THE NET?

Latest Striker Result for Wednesday 24th May

Congratulations to all the winners and better luck next time if your name wasn’t drawn out. It could well be your time next week.

For anyone who doesn’t know how the Striker Lottery works well let me explain if for you. Each week, so long as you have paid your £1 weekly subscription, your number will be entered into a draw. If your number is drawn, congratulations – you’re a winner! It’s as simple as that. The draw is held every Wednesday. Keep an eye on the website and social media pages for full details. Who knows, your number could scoop the £1,000 top prize.

Please note that only paid-for tickets are entered in the draw. For your convenience, your membership fee can be collected from you, or you can pay at the Club Office or, to save time, you can pay monthly or quarterly by standing order.

Contact [email protected] to register your interest and good luck.

DONATIONS FROM DOVER

Whites help out asylum charity cause.

This week we had a visit to the football club from Ben Falp, a social worker who is helping out children fleeing war torn countries who are looking to explore their love of the game, with any help they can get. They have come here with basically nothing and now there is a scheme in place to help these kids not only get involved in football but also in a social capacity, coming into new surroundings.

Ben said ‘I am a Social Work Assistant with the Canterbury Children in Care team and I work almost exclusively with Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Young People who live independently in the community. Nearly all of these young people have had to leave their homes and families and undertake incredibly difficult and often traumatic journeys to seek a better life in the United Kingdom. They have often had to do this to escape war or persecution and, as such, have arrived in the U.K. without any belongings other than the clothes they are wearing.

We see this as an opportunity for these Young People to make new friends, give them a sense of belonging and help them feel a part of the local community – Ben Falp

My colleague, Jeffrey Reene, who is an Education Support Officer with Virtual Schools Kent and I, have started offering football training for the Young People we work with. I am a qualified FA coach and have been involved in Grass Roots football for many years and our aim is to eventually have a team entered into a league in the local area. However, this ambition of ours is not the only reason we are offering training. We see this as an opportunity for these Young People to make new friends, give them a sense of belonging and help them feel a part of the local community; all things they may struggle with due to their personal circumstances. It is also an opportunity to give these Young People something to do in their free time, some much needed exercise to benefit both their physical and mental health and an opportunity to practice speaking English (as nearly all these Young People are currently studying English as a second language).’

The club donated left over kit from past seasons including shorts, socks and training wear.

Pleasure to help out.

COMMUNITY CHEST

We meet our new look community team.

With the news that Megger are set to sponsor Dover Athletic from the Youth Section through to the first team, the Dover business is now branching out into the community with the newly arranged Trust. Jeremy Simpson, who will be chair of the trust, will be flanked by both Deborah and Paul Harrison. Debs and Paul have worked tirelessly behind the scenes at Crabble over the years and now they are looking to help get the scheme back into the public domain having previously existed in its current form prior to Covid.

Jeremy Simpson

 

Vicky Pawley will be the clubs new Community Engagement & Inclusion Officer, who will start her post on July 3rd, looking to create new ties within the community and the football club. It’s another step in the right direction with the club’s main sponsor Megger again at the forefront.

I am delighted that we have resumed the Dover Athletic Community Trust. Our aim is to promote health and wellbeing within our local community, using the physical assets at the Dover Athletic club as a base. This will extend beyond football and I am delighted that Vikki Pawley is joining us as Community Officer to lead our outreach around Dover.  – Jeremy Simpson

So what is the mission statement of the Trust?

To become an integral force for good within the local community, promoting inclusion for all. To make a positive difference to the local community using the connection with the football club to instigate and promote initiatives to encourage participation and inclusion, particularly amongst young people, the disabled, those with special needs, older persons and ethnic minorities. At the same time we will be looking at developing football for women and girls of all abilities.

We will use sports programmes, well-being and mental health initiatives to promote physical and mental health, including well-being within the community. We will look to work closely with other community stakeholders including Dover District Council as well as others who share our common objectives to ensure we deliver key health and well-being objectives.

COYW.