It’s been a busy couple of months behind the scenes at Dartford FC following the club’s first Fans’ Forum in January which saw its new five-year plan unveiled.
The board highlighted its ambition to have – and be able to support better – its men’s and women’s sides playing in their respective National Leagues in five years’ time.
With just a handful of teams operating in the men’s National League without full-time playing staff, financial targets and forecasts were highlighted which it is hoped will help oversee a new chapter in the club’s history, with day-time training introduced.
Areas of focus raised to support these financial plans, included the setting up a girls’ academy, a new focus group concentrating on fan attendance and completion of a new business plan to help highlight other areas of earning potential.
With the board also reaffirming its intentions to be more transparent with supporters, the recent updates include:
- Vice Chairman Norman Grimes has set up a new focus group to concentrate on fan attendance. They have already met several times, with many ideas being discussed and worked on, including more visibility in the town and surrounding areas.
- The Community team, led by Darren Phillips, has been busy reaching out to local schools and bringing many new, young faces to recent matches in the hope of attracting the next generation of fans.
- The first trial for a new Girls’ Academy has taken place under the direction of Director Tony Burman, with the intention of launching in September.
- Wayne Beckett has joined as Associate Director, responsible for commercial sales, with a primary focus on sponsorships. With over 35 years of experience in sales and marketing, as well as serving as the CEO of his own international business management company, the Board believes Wayne is well-positioned to maintain and enhance the excellent work accomplished in this area over the last few years. This appointment allows Director Mark Brenlund to concentrate on the Club’s retail operations, an area the Board is keen to prioritise to maximise opportunities.
The business plan is well underway, while the board was present at recent Supporters’ Association meetings to offer better assistance in their excellent endeavours.
New streams of communication are also being explored, with a new web design and newsletter earmarked for the new season.
The board is determined to maximise its potential and keep the momentum rolling as we approach the end of this season and prepare for the next.