Dartford manager Ady Pennock desperate for players to end stay in National League South on a high with win over Truro
Published: 05:00, 19 April 2024
Manager Ady Pennock wants his relegated players to show pride in their performance this weekend.
The Darts sign off from National League South at home to Truro (3pm).
With their fate sealed last weekend, there’s nothing riding on the game but Pennock knows the players owe it to the club’s supporters to give them something to cheer about.
“We’ve got pride, I want the players to play with pride,” insisted Pennock.
“What’s happened has happened, but we will sort it out as a football club.
“This is no different to any other game, whether we’re top of the league or have been relegated, we want to put on a good performance and get three points.
“I’m not going to change the way I am, we need to give it our all. It’s going to be strange because of what’s happened and I’m bitterly disappointed.
“I’ve only been there five minutes but I’ve got a feel for the club already and this Saturday we’ve got to get the three points.
“We’ve got to stick our chests out and take everything that we have to on the chin and get on with it.”
Dartford were promoted to Conference South in 2010 and later went on to spend three seasons in the top flight of non-league football after a third promotion in five years.
They’ve never finished in the bottom half in National League South but a torrid 12 months means they’ll be playing Step 3 football again next term.
Pennock, who praised the 130 travelling fans who made the trip to champions Yeovil last weekend, feels sorry for the club’s supporters.
“I hear and feel your pain but I’ll do all I can to get this club up where it belongs, and higher,” he told them. “But we all need to stick together - on and off the field.
“I feel sorry for everybody at the football club but there’s no point feeling sorry now, we’ve got to look forward.
“There’s some really good people there and everyone’s got to regroup and move forward.”
More by this author
Matthew Panting