Dartford manager Alan Dowson is already up to speed with the club’s academy players. The Darts boss watches games weekly and when he wanted to bring youngsters into the first-team environment last week, he knew exactly who he wanted.
There were six current academy players involved in last week’s London Senior Cup win over Tooting & Mitcham with a further three players who came through the system the previous season.
Academy manager Ben Greenhalgh explained: “I speak to Dowse three times a week, whether it’s on the phone or at the club. “We’ll be constantly talking about players, other players, first-team stuff.
To have that relationship between academy manager and first-team manager is brilliant. Obviously, I know that we’re together, we’re in agreement with how things are going on. “The biggest thing for the boys is not just knowing that opportunity is there, but knowing Dowse.