Dartford FC

The history of Dartford FC reached a pivotal point on Nov 11, 2006 when the clubs impressive new stadium at Princes Park was officially opened with a capacity 4100 crowd watching the Darts beat Horsham YMCA in a Ryman League Division One South fixture. 

The new stadium promises a new era for the club which was founded in 1888 and began playing competitive league football in 1894 when they became a founder member of the Kent League.

When the new Southern League Second Division was formed in 1896 Dartford became its first champions but were denied promotion after a play off defeat against Wolverton LMWR. 

By the outbreak of the First World War the club were again members of the Kent League though it was several years after the war ended before the Darts were once more resurrected, uniquely, as a PLC.  The only club in the country to bear that title and in the same year, 1921, Datford moved into their famous Watling Street home.

Performing well in the Southern League the club made national headlines in the 1930s when they became the first NonLeague club to reach the Third Round Proper of the FA Cup in successive seasons. 

The clubs most notable match in that spell was in 1935/36 when, in the Third Round, they met the mighty Derby County at the Baseball Ground only to lose by the odd goal in five to the club who were than lying second in the First Division.

The years following the Second World War were notable only for a Kent Senior Cup Final win over top amateur club Bromley in 1947 with the club seldom rising above mid-table in the Southern League until a mini-period of promotion followed by relegation in the 1960s. 

1973/74 saw Dartford win its first championship in 42 years when they won the Southern league Premier Division only to be relegated the following year. 

Two more championships followed in 1981 and 1982 with the club having a spell in the Alliance Premier League with a third place finish in 1985 being followed by relegated the next season. 

A disastrous ground-sharing scheme with Maidstone United moving into Watling Street left both clubs in financial ruin and the Darts were forced to withdraw from the Southern League after just four games of the 1992/93 season.

Hard days followed with the ground having been sold but, with the opening of Princes Park, the Darts are once again looking ahead.