Dartford manager Alan Dowson warns squad he won’t hesitate to axe troublemakers if discipline gets out of hand this season

Dartford manager Alan Dowson has warned his squad he won’t tolerate poor levels of discipline this season.

Summer signing Paul Rooney will miss the first three games through suspension after a post-match incident while playing for former club Havant at Worthing in March.

Rooney saw red just days before Dartford learned the news of that suspension in a pre-season friendly with Charlton.

“He won’t be getting paid, that’s for certain,” said Dowson on Rooney missing the start of the campaign.

“He’s a good lad and a good player but he’s at a place in his career now where he can go one way or the other.

“He’ll either be playing Sunday League football in a year or doing really well at the top of this league in a year. That’s exactly where he is at the moment.

“I’ve spoken to him about it. He got himself sent off in the first pre-season game.

“It’s up to him as I don’t back down off anybody. He’ll either not be with us or he’ll be one of our best players, it’s as simple as that.

“I managed to get him a job with my mate, doing scaffolding, so I’ve got to give a bit back to him and he’s got to give a bit back to me. He needs to prove that we can get on because the whole world thinks we won’t get on.”

Rooney was part of an ill-disciplined Havant squad last season that picked up eight red cards in National League South.

Fellow new recruits Joash Nembhard and Tyrell Miller-Rodney also had spells at Westleigh Park but Dowson won’t tolerate any lack of discipline in his team.

“I’ve spoken to them but I won’t speak too much - they just won’t be here,” he warned.

“I want a hard, physical side that competes but they won’t get away with what has happened before, I don’t like that sort of thing.

“They’ll have to clean up on that or they