Manager Alan Dowson says Dartford board is the best he has worked with after agreeing new two-year contract

Dartford manager Alan Dowson has praised the club’s hierarchy after extending his stay at Princes Park.

Dowson has agreed a new two-year deal, having initially joined last summer on a similar-length contract.

The former Woking and Hampton boss is relishing the chance to go again in National League South next season.

“Dartford is a great club, it’s unbelievably well run,” said Dowson. “I love the chairman, Steve Irving, and think the world of him, and Tony Burman and the directors as well.

“They’re the best I’ve worked with, they’re really good people and they care about their club.

“They won’t go down the route of getting the club into debt and having no club which others have done in our league, they run it sensibly where we can compete but we’re not risking our club’s future. I respect that and I quite like it.

“It’s quite a challenge for me because I’ll be changing a few things and then can I get it right? I’d rather do that than go to a club with sacks of money and spend it on players who aren’t worth it.

“It’s a great challenge for me and I always like that kind of challenge. It’s a very well-run club by good people who are in charge and the club are lucky to have them. People like me come along two a penny but I’ve got to praise them here, with how they’ve been with me.

“They’ve got a wonderful chairman and with (director of football) Tony Burman there as well it’s a wonderful club, it really is.”

Understandably, both Irving and Dowson cut dejected figures after the play-off Semi-Final defeat to St Albans on penalties but it was Burman that raised the manager’s spirits.

“I think we both picked each other up,” said Dowson on his relationship with Irving. “We’re both passionate about the club so we were both very