Giving players the chance to establish themselves in the first team is the next step for Dartford’s impressive academy set-up.

Academy graduates Sam Odaudu and Marvin Herschel have been two of Dartford’s brightest lights in the opening three months under boss Alan Dowson at the top end of National League South.

Their progression has given the academy a welcome boost, with the current crop seeing a clear path to the first team at Princes Park.

“It’s a big thing in our academy where we’ve had a strong few years with a competitive group of players,” said Dartford academy manager Ben Greenhalgh.

“This is exactly what we’re looking for, these boys that we’ve had for three years have made the first-team with Dartford.

“We’ve built our academy over the last few years to be competitive and now we’ve got to that level it’s a chance for those boys that we’ve had for three years to not only get a chance in the first team but be properly vying and properly be part of the squad.

“That’s our biggest thing at Dartford, it’s not just a case of having these boys in there, they’re playing week in, week out, and being some of the stronger players. It’s something that’s brilliant for our academy and great for the younger players coming through to see that there’s an opportunity at the club.”

Greenhalgh was able to give a fascinating insight into the progress of Odaudu and Herschel, who have both spent the past three years in the club’s academy set-up. Odaudu has long been tipped for first-team progression but Herschel’s late development has underlined the importance of players advancing at different rates as they look to break through to senior football.

“We had them both for three years,” said Greenhalgh. “Truth be told we knew with Sam Odaudu when he was 16 that he was special, Jamie Coyle and Adam Flanagan gave him an opportunity in pre-season (when they were in charge) and you could see straight away that he was ready.

“Marvin was someone that needed progression throughout the academy, he is someone that is very grateful for how things went. In the first two years he probably wasn’t one of the stronger players but in his third year he kicked on an extra gear and is exactly what the first team need at the moment, and he’s making a difference.”

On players being given the time to develop over three years in the club’s academy, Greenhalgh admitted adjustments sometimes have to be made as players are not always ready to make the step up as quickly as they think.

“Players come into our academy being told different things from elsewhere,” he added. “You have to manage them and get them to understand the expectation. It might not happen right now, but with the best training, work-rate and attitude, you can kick on.

“A really good example of that one at the moment is George Whitefield, who has just signed for the first team and played last Tuesday in the London Cup.

“He was one where in his first year he was down the pecking order, he was playing for our third team in the academy and working hard but things weren’t falling for him at that moment.

“We were patient with him, he kicked on a bit and his attitude is second to none. He’s listened to us, we spoke about calories intake per day, certain training and weight programmes and he’s really brought into that. Other players now look up to him.

“We’re keeping that mentality amongst the academy and if the players that come in can buy into that then they’ll be successful.

"If they want it to happen right now and think they’re ready right now, the truth is that they probably won’t be successful. That’s the attitude and atmosphere that we try to build and we try to give our players as much opportunity as we can.

“The one thing I say to the parents is that I’m not going to guarantee your son is going to make it in the football world, but we’ll do everything we can to push him in a way to give him the best chance.”