*BS*ANDY HESSENTHALER does not want the vacant Brentford managerial post – contrary to today’s Daily Mail.

*BF*The paper wrongly reports that Hess wants to take over from Terry Butcher, who was sacked by the League Two club this week.

Hess was pipped to the post 18 months ago by Leroy Rosenior.

However, since then he has become our player-manager, guided Whites four points clear at the top of Ryman One – and told anyone who cares to listen how much he is enjoying himself at SeaFrance Crabble.

He said: “The story is rubbish. I was interviewed at Brentford a year and a half ago and Leroy got the post.

“I’ve not spoken to the club since and not had any burning ambition to manage there once I heard Terry left this week.

“Some journalists like to play guessing games and the Daily Mail have obviously thrown my name into the mix.

“I’m enjoying my time at Dover and want to get the club back into the Blue Square Premier in the next few years. That’s my ambition.”

Due to Hess’s profile and the fact he is doing a great job at Dover Athletic, it is only natural that his name will be mentioned for jobs at a higher level.

But the Whites boss is a unique figure in the game and has no intention of walking out on the club with his race to bring honours to the club only on the first bend of the first lap.

*BS*JIM PARMENTER has pledged to underwrite the funding of the new clubhouse – providing fans can raise £30,000 by April.

*BF*The Whites chairman and his wife, Sally, in another extraordinary gesture of goodwill, last night declared that they would personally guarantee that the complex will be built this summer.

Centre Spot 2008 will cost around £150,000 to build and so long as the Dover fanbase and local businesses enthusiastically support the project, Jim will take full responsibility in ensuring building starts at the end of the season.

He told doverathletic.com: “I was in the Centre Spot over the weekend. The roof is like a sieve and going to cave in at any moment.

“There are problems with the electrics and the whole place is on its last legs.

“So Sally and I discussed it and decided, if we can get a contribution, we’ll underwrite the balance to make sure it happens this summer. Otherwise, we may not have a clubhouse at all next season.”

Initially, the club announced it needed around £100,000 from various fundraising schemes to make the project viable but it soon became apparent that this figure was not going to be reached by the spring.

And Jim said: “The way the fundraising was going, it was unlikely that we were going to be able to make a positive decision. We’ve taken the decision to go ahead with the project, find ways of financing it as we go along and personally underwrite the balance at the end.

“I’m hoping that this shows everyone that we mean business. Also I want to lead from the front and hopefully this will encourage everyone to join me in making a contribution towards building a facility which will be a bigger asset to the club and town than the current Centre Spot.”

It is not just cash support that Jim and Dover Athletic are seeking. In a community-based project such as this, there are many ways fans and businesses can help.

Jim said: “There are a lot of businesses happy to help, and can do so easier without donating cash.

“Some businesses can help provide us with some of the fixtures, i.e. toilets, wash basins, or who can help us with the plastering, plumbing, or electrics. Even someone who can find us some scaffolding would be a help.

“We’re starting from scratch. We’re going to be building using concrete and blocks. There will be internal fittings, such as doors and windows, and then of course there will be the floors and carpets, roofing, all these kinds of things.

“Then when it’s all built, we can be helped with the decorating or supplies. There are 101 ways for businesses and individuals to help and that’s what we’re hoping to get. That will make it a building that we, the local community, have built ourselves.”

*Q1*Jim is pressing ahead with the project straight away.

He added: “The next stage is for us to talk to building contractors and obtain the best price and options.

“We’ll finalise the building plans to ensure we’ve got enough space to accommodate everything we want – and go through the rest of the formalities to get a prompt start date of the end of the season.”

Since Jim and his consortium of local businessmen took over the club in January 2005, Dover Athletic has cleared its CVA debt, halved its historic overdraft and wiped out six-figure debts.

It is common knowledge that Jim and Sally have funded a large amount of these themselves.

When asked if he was mad, Jim jested: “Yes, I am. Bonkers, in fact. But we’re not here to make money.

“I’m looking at making Dover Athletic a self-financing business, one that won’t need individuals to keep sticking their hands in their pockets.

“The long-term aim is for the club to stand on its own two feet and this facility is going to be such a big revenue generator.

“Each day that passes with the old complex is one which is seeing us waste revenue potential for Dover Athletic. We need to act now and get things moving.”

Anyone who can help, has ideas or suggestions, can contact us at [email protected]

Meanwhile, the Whites chairman is disappointed with recent attendances, especially the 576 that watched the top-of-the-table clash with Worthing on Saturday.

He said: “I have to confess I’m disappointed. Fans told us they wanted to be entertained. We’ve gone out and brought people in who are doing that.

“We had 1,100-plus for the Tooting game and got nearly 600 less for the Worthing match. That is so disappointing. I’m putting it down to the bad weather but we did advertise everywhere, including on the radio stations, that the game was going ahead still, yet barely anyone turned up.

“I hope that there is not any apathy out there because we should get gates of 1,000. That should be achievable now with the football we’re playing and results we’re getting.

“For the club to move forward, we need to see people coming through the turnstiles. I hope this is just a blip.”

*Link1*

*Link2*

*BS*JIM PARMENTER has pledged to underwrite the funding of the new clubhouse – providing fans can raise £30,000 by April.

*BF*The Whites chairman and his wife, Sally, in another extraordinary gesture of goodwill, last night declared that they would personally guarantee that the complex will be built this summer.

Centre Spot 2008 will cost around £150,000 to build and so long as the Dover fanbase and local businesses enthusiastically support the project, Jim will take full responsibility in ensuring building starts at the end of the season.

He told doverathletic.com: “I was in the Centre Spot over the weekend. The roof is like a sieve and going to cave in at any moment.

“There are problems with the electrics and the whole place is on its last legs.

“So Sally and I discussed it and decided, if we can get a contribution, we’ll underwrite the balance to make sure it happens this summer. Otherwise, we may not have a clubhouse at all next season.”

Initially, the club announced it needed around £100,000 from various fundraising schemes to make the project viable but it soon became apparent that this figure was not going to be reached by the spring.

And Jim said: “The way the fundraising was going, it was unlikely that we were going to be able to make a positive decision. We’ve taken the decision to go ahead with the project, find ways of financing it as we go along and personally underwrite the balance at the end.

“I’m hoping that this shows everyone that we mean business. Also I want to lead from the front and hopefully this will encourage everyone to join me in making a contribution towards building a facility which will be a bigger asset to the club and town than the current Centre Spot.”

It is not just cash support that Jim and Dover Athletic are seeking. In a community-based project such as this, there are many ways fans and businesses can help.

Jim said: “There are a lot of businesses happy to help, and can do so easier without donating cash.

“Some businesses can help provide us with some of the fixtures, i.e. toilets, wash basins, or who can help us with the plastering, plumbing, or electrics. Even someone who can find us some scaffolding would be a help.

“We’re starting from scratch. We’re going to be building using concrete and blocks. There will be internal fittings, such as doors and windows, and then of course there will be the floors and carpets, roofing, all these kinds of things.

“Then when it’s all built, we can be helped with the decorating or supplies. There are 101 ways for businesses and individuals to help and that’s what we’re hoping to get. That will make it a building that we, the local community, have built ourselves.”

*Q1*Jim is pressing ahead with the project straight away.

He added: “The next stage is for us to talk to building contractors and obtain the best price and options.

“We’ll finalise the building plans to ensure we’ve got enough space to accommodate everything we want – and go through the rest of the formalities to get a prompt start date of the end of the season.”

Since Jim and his consortium of local businessmen took over the club in January 2005, Dover Athletic has cleared its CVA debt, halved its historic overdraft and wiped out six-figure debts.

It is common knowledge that Jim and Sally have funded a large amount of these themselves.

When asked if he was mad, Jim jested: “Yes, I am. Bonkers, in fact. But we’re not here to make money.

“I’m looking at making Dover Athletic a self-financing business, one that won’t need individuals to keep sticking their hands in their pockets.

“The long-term aim is for the club to stand on its own two feet and this facility is going to be such a big revenue generator.

“Each day that passes with the old complex is one which is seeing us waste revenue potential for Dover Athletic. We need to act now and get things moving.”

Anyone who can help, has ideas or suggestions, can contact us at [email protected]

Meanwhile, the Whites chairman is disappointed with recent attendances, especially the 576 that watched the top-of-the-table clash with Worthing on Saturday.

He said: “I have to confess I’m disappointed. Fans told us they wanted to be entertained. We’ve gone out and brought people in who are doing that.

“We had 1,100-plus for the Tooting game and got nearly 600 less for the Worthing match. That is so disappointing. I’m putting it down to the bad weather but we did advertise everywhere, including on the radio stations, that the game was going ahead still, yet barely anyone turned up.

“I hope that there is not any apathy out there because we should get gates of 1,000. That should be achievable now with the football we’re playing and results we’re getting.

“For the club to move forward, we need to see people coming through the turnstiles. I hope this is just a blip.”

*Link1*

*Link2*

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With less than 2 weeks left until the Christmas raffle draw – this is a final plee for everyone to sell a couple of extra books of raffle tickets to friends, family, work ect. All profits from the raffle will be going to the Centre Spot fund. the winners will be drawn after the Horsham YMCA home game(22 December)

Thanks Everyone

Elaine

With less than 2 weeks left until the Christmas raffle draw – this is a final plee for everyone to sell a couple of extra books of raffle tickets to friends, family, work ect. All profits from the raffle will be going to the Centre Spot fund. the winners will be drawn after the Horsham YMCA home game(22 December)

Thanks Everyone

Elaine

*BS*SHAUN WELFORD was enjoying a few pints with his Dover team-mates after a job well-done in seeing off Worthing.

*BF*The Rebels, who had won six games on the spin, were sent back to West Sussex with their tails between their legs after Frannie Collin’s stunning double and Welford’s strike.

But the popular Whites hitman, who should never have been allowed to leave the club for Ramsgate three years ago, insists: “We’ve not achieved anything yet!”

Welford could be forgiven if he was ordering doubles as the team enjoyed their Christmas party. After all, he was celebrating a double tonic: Dover and his beloved Newcastle winning on the same day.

Although nowadays a Dover victory is not rare, the same cannot be said for his Toon heroes.

The proud Geordie, who used to live near team-mate Alan Pouton up in the North East, said: “I’m very happy tonight. Dover win 3-0 and Newcastle beat Birmingham with a last-minute winner.

“The jury, for me, is still out on Big Sam Allardyce at Newcastle, but it certainly isn’t out on Andy Hessenthaler.

“Our gaffer is doing a great job and I had a big chat with him and the chairman Jim Parmenter before re-joining the club from Ramsgate.

“He wants to achieve things – and I wanted to play a part in that. I was at this club before at the wrong time.

“I think I played about nine games in the first-team under *BS*THREE *BF*different managers. There was no stability and Dover Athletic were on a downward spiral.

“But I ended up going to Ramsgate and did well there for a club that was on the up. Yet, despite this, I always looked out for Dover’s results straight after each game I played.

“This is a bigger club and when I heard Hessy wanted to bring me back I didn’t hesitate in making the decision to return.

“You only have to look around the place to see the potential. The ground and the large army of fans – along with the entire set up.

“Now I want to be part of the journey in helping take Dover Athletic up the divisions under Hessy.”

Welford has settled in well and already grabbed three goals – and the hitman insists he is confident of finding the target on a regular basis.

He said: “The way the lads are playing, I feel I can score every match. Frannie is brilliant to play with up front.

“Frannie is a livewire and defenders can never rest with him on the pitch. He puts in some great crosses, and I only had to get my foot on one against Worthing to score. It was easy.

*Lpic1*”He took his goals well too. The first one was brilliant. In tight games, that extra quality that Frannie brings the team can suddenly find you a breakthrough.

“We’ve got that quality across the park and it’s a pleasure to play with such good players.”

Welford insists that while he and his team-mates were having celebratory drinks after the game, no-one was getting carried away with opening up a four-point lead at the top of Ryman One – with games in hand too.

Whites chief Hessenthaler has stressed several times that league titles are never won before Christmas and there are plenty of tough games and challenges to come.

He said: “The gaffer has kept our feet firmly on the ground. While it was an excellent result against one of our promotion rivals, nothing is decided this time of year.

“It’s great to be sitting top but we need to be in that position after the last ball is kicked this season.

“We need to keep working hard, playing good football, taking our chances, keep clean sheets. If we do all these things then we have a great chance.

“I know all about winning this league as I was in Ramsgate’s title-winning side a couple of seasons ago. It takes a real team effort to do it and we’re only too aware of how much football is still to be played.

“The challenge is for us to keep churning out the results in our mission to get the club back into the Premier Division.”

Hess said: “Shaun realises we’re creating a lot of chances and that’s good for strikers. He could’ve scored a couple more had he shown a bit more composure – and that’s something we’re working on as a team.

“It was an excellent performance and one of the best we’ve produced this season. The conditions were not great, yet it didn’t affect us. We played some superb stuff and Worthing just couldn’t live with us. We should’ve won by five or six.

*Lpic2*”The pitches are now going to start getting heavy and the elements come into play. To win this league, we’ve got to be able to deal with those things – and I know we’ve got the characters in our dressing room who can cope with that.

“Frannie was brilliant today. He had one of his best games for us and is so important to the team. The whole side, to be fair, were superb and the fans will have realised that and appreciated everyone’s efforts.

“But now we want to widen the gap between ourselves and the chasing pack. We’re not getting carried away now but can be happy with the progress we’ve made so far. We’ve just got to keep that level of performances up and our winning run going. That’s eight now, let’s make it nine and then 10.”

Gillingham star Nicky Southall has attended a number of games this season, prompting speculation he is going to sign for Whites.

That is pie in the sky, says Hess, who insists that his old friend is purely taking in games and catching up with his pals.

Hess said: “There’s nothing in it at all. Nicky’s a close family friend of mine, someone I’ve played with and managed at Gillingham. He’s also an old mate of Alan Pouton’s.

“Nicky likes to take in some of our games and see how we’re getting on. He’s a Gillingham player and to be honest with you he’s got a few good years left in the Football League. It’s great to see him down here.”

.

*BS*SHAUN WELFORD was enjoying a few pints with his Dover team-mates after a job well-done in seeing off Worthing.

*BF*The Rebels, who had won six games on the spin, were sent back to West Sussex with their tails between their legs after Frannie Collin’s stunning double and Welford’s strike.

But the popular Whites hitman, who should never have been allowed to leave the club for Ramsgate three years ago, insists: “We’ve not achieved anything yet!”

Welford could be forgiven if he was ordering doubles as the team enjoyed their Christmas party. After all, he was celebrating a double tonic: Dover and his beloved Newcastle winning on the same day.

Although nowadays a Dover victory is not rare, the same cannot be said for his Toon heroes.

The proud Geordie, who used to live near team-mate Alan Pouton up in the North East, said: “I’m very happy tonight. Dover win 3-0 and Newcastle beat Birmingham with a last-minute winner.

“The jury, for me, is still out on Big Sam Allardyce at Newcastle, but it certainly isn’t out on Andy Hessenthaler.

“Our gaffer is doing a great job and I had a big chat with him and the chairman Jim Parmenter before re-joining the club from Ramsgate.

“He wants to achieve things – and I wanted to play a part in that. I was at this club before at the wrong time.

“I think I played about nine games in the first-team under *BS*THREE *BF*different managers. There was no stability and Dover Athletic were on a downward spiral.

“But I ended up going to Ramsgate and did well there for a club that was on the up. Yet, despite this, I always looked out for Dover’s results straight after each game I played.

“This is a bigger club and when I heard Hessy wanted to bring me back I didn’t hesitate in making the decision to return.

“You only have to look around the place to see the potential. The ground and the large army of fans – along with the entire set up.

“Now I want to be part of the journey in helping take Dover Athletic up the divisions under Hessy.”

Welford has settled in well and already grabbed three goals – and the hitman insists he is confident of finding the target on a regular basis.

He said: “The way the lads are playing, I feel I can score every match. Frannie is brilliant to play with up front.

“Frannie is a livewire and defenders can never rest with him on the pitch. He puts in some great crosses, and I only had to get my foot on one against Worthing to score. It was easy.

*Lpic1*”He took his goals well too. The first one was brilliant. In tight games, that extra quality that Frannie brings the team can suddenly find you a breakthrough.

“We’ve got that quality across the park and it’s a pleasure to play with such good players.”

Welford insists that while he and his team-mates were having celebratory drinks after the game, no-one was getting carried away with opening up a four-point lead at the top of Ryman One – with games in hand too.

Whites chief Hessenthaler has stressed several times that league titles are never won before Christmas and there are plenty of tough games and challenges to come.

He said: “The gaffer has kept our feet firmly on the ground. While it was an excellent result against one of our promotion rivals, nothing is decided this time of year.

“It’s great to be sitting top but we need to be in that position after the last ball is kicked this season.

“We need to keep working hard, playing good football, taking our chances, keep clean sheets. If we do all these things then we have a great chance.

“I know all about winning this league as I was in Ramsgate’s title-winning side a couple of seasons ago. It takes a real team effort to do it and we’re only too aware of how much football is still to be played.

“The challenge is for us to keep churning out the results in our mission to get the club back into the Premier Division.”

Hess said: “Shaun realises we’re creating a lot of chances and that’s good for strikers. He could’ve scored a couple more had he shown a bit more composure – and that’s something we’re working on as a team.

“It was an excellent performance and one of the best we’ve produced this season. The conditions were not great, yet it didn’t affect us. We played some superb stuff and Worthing just couldn’t live with us. We should’ve won by five or six.

*Lpic2*”The pitches are now going to start getting heavy and the elements come into play. To win this league, we’ve got to be able to deal with those things – and I know we’ve got the characters in our dressing room who can cope with that.

“Frannie was brilliant today. He had one of his best games for us and is so important to the team. The whole side, to be fair, were superb and the fans will have realised that and appreciated everyone’s efforts.

“But now we want to widen the gap between ourselves and the chasing pack. We’re not getting carried away now but can be happy with the progress we’ve made so far. We’ve just got to keep that level of performances up and our winning run going. That’s eight now, let’s make it nine and then 10.”

Gillingham star Nicky Southall has attended a number of games this season, prompting speculation he is going to sign for Whites.

That is pie in the sky, says Hess, who insists that his old friend is purely taking in games and catching up with his pals.

Hess said: “There’s nothing in it at all. Nicky’s a close family friend of mine, someone I’ve played with and managed at Gillingham. He’s also an old mate of Alan Pouton’s.

“Nicky likes to take in some of our games and see how we’re getting on. He’s a Gillingham player and to be honest with you he’s got a few good years left in the Football League. It’s great to see him down here.”