Dartford manager Alan Dowson hopes trip north for friendly against Dunston UTS will help him decide who his new club captain will be

Boss Alan Dowson reckons Dartford’s trip to the north-east could help decide who the club’s new captain will be.

Dowson will take the Darts up to Northern Premier East Dunston UTS once again for a friendly next Friday night before they watch Gateshead host Premier League giants Newcastle the next day and then head out for a team bonding session in the city that evening.

The Geordie will need to decide who will take the armband come the start of the new National League South season after popular centre-back Tom Bonner’s retirement.

“I do it every year at every club I’ve been at,” said Dowson.

“We’ll travel up and play Dunston on the Friday. Then, we will watch Newcastle play Gateshead.

“Then, the lads will go out in Newcastle.

“They need to get to know each other off the pitch, as well as on it.

Dartford’s 2023/24 National League South fixtures

“There’s a few who want to be captain. I’ve not decided on anything like that.

“But who takes the lead on the pitch and who takes the lead on Saturday night and makes sure everyone behaves, I think that might decide who the captain is.”

With Bonner and Connor Essam, who has joined Southern Counties East Premier Division side Faversham, having departed there’s a significant hole in the heart of defence.

Dowson said: “Bonner, you cannot replace him. I did all I could to keep hold of him. You cannot replace Bonner.

“But the centre-halves I’ve signed, they’ll have big shoes to fill.

“We have to try and replace Bonner on the pitch but, around the club and as a person, he will be very hard to replace.”

Before then, though, Dartford are set to host Charlton in their first pre-season friendly this Saturday (3pm kick-off).

Dowson said: “They’ll be very strong, I gather.

“It’ll be a good