GARY JULIANS believes Dartford should have been crowned Southern League champions – but found the play-off final against Alvechurch one game too many.
Despite losing manager Graham Carr, now Newcastle United scout, to Nuneaton Borough midway through the season, the Darts won the Southern Division by three clear points from Bognor Regis Town.
But for the first time ever, the Southern League champions would be decided by a two-leg play-off with the winners of the Midland Division.
And exhausted by a run in the FA Trophy – which saw them knocked out in the semi-finals by Bishop's Stortford – it proved to be one hurdle too many.
After the two legs with an Alvechurch side – which contained ex-Arsenal and England striker Alan Smith – ended 3-3, Glen Coupland's Darts lost 4-3 on penalties at Watling Street.
It proved a sad end to a memorable season for top scorer Julians, who believes that Coupland's young side should have ended the campaign with an appearance at Wembley as well.
“Graham Carr put a good side together but unfortunately he left during that season,” he said.
“Glen Coupland took up the reins and was very laid back whereas Graham was quite a fiery character. We went through a little spell where we drew a few games and weren't playing well.
“But I think that Graham had some issues with the club and then Nuneaton who were flying at the time in the old Alliance League made an approach and he decided to move on.
“But Glen's more laid-back approach helped us a lot, especially when we beat Altrincham in the quarter-finals of the Trophy – they were the kings of Non-League football at the time.
“We also had a big game against Bognor towards the end of the season which I missed through suspension, I think we drew and it pretty much guaranteed us the league.
“We were the better side against Alvechurch but we had one or two players missing. Obviously we were two good sides but we were also fairly young and had such a long season.
“We were running on empty, especially after losing the semifinal of the FA Trophy to Bishop's Stortford. That ripped the heart out of us a little bit. We went down 2-1 to a very dubious penalty which Glen Coupland gave away.
“Terry Sullivan, who scored the equaliser up there, got himself sent off at our place, but somehow he was allowed to play in the second leg. He later played for Dartford.
“We drew the home leg 1-1 and I hit the bar after ten minutes. Had that gone in we would have won. But they defended well and scored a goal on the break.”
BACK ROW FROM LEFT TO RIGHT
1. Neil Hudson: He was last known to be working as a meat trader at Smithfields Market in London
2. Phil Keeping: First-team regular for the club and is now based in Badgers Dene, Grays.
3. Ray Tumbridge: He lived in Chatham, Kent and was working in the financial services when he died after a long battle with cancer in June 2009, aged 54.
4. Aidan O'Sullivan: Made over 100 appearances for the club and is living in Gillingham, Kent where he has worked as a teacher.
5. Roger Keen: The goalkeeper, who made over 400 appearances for the club, worked for Barclays international and is now living in Poole, Dorset.
6. Gary Julians: The son of former Millwall star Len, has managed Dartford. He worked in motor finance for 20 years and is now business manager for Lexus in Twickenham.
7. Seamus Horgan: He was last known to be living in the Watford area and was running his own office cleaning firm.
8. Tony Burman: The Darts legend is in his third spell as manager of the club and has run his own transport business TB Transport in Belvedere, Kent. He is also a Dartford director.
FRONT ROW FROM LEFT TO RIGHT
9. Paul Giles: A former PE teacher, he lives outside Ashford, Kent where he has worked as a personal trainer for the last 20 years.
10. Billy Fogarty: The former Gillingham and Charlton youngster is now living in Forest Hill, London and has been working as a painter and decorator for the last 20 years.
11. Willie O'Sullivan: Another Charlton youngster. Has coached at Dartford and worked as a painter and decorator before becoming a black cab driver. Now manages Lewisham Borough.
12. Trevor Timms: A former Dartford assistant manager, he has spent 37 years working for the Lloyds Banking Group and is an assistant manager for loan treasury.
NOT PICTURED
Kelvin Bright: He spent a year at the club and now lives in Longfield, Kent where he is a director of Bright Timber Supplies.
Trevor Burke: A former trainee chef, he is now working as food and beverage manager of a London hotel group.
Glen Coupland: The former player-manager was working as a school teacher in Tonbridge, Kent until he retired.
John Mitchell: He made over 350 appearances for the Darts scoring 121 goals and has worked as a forklift truck driver.
Steve Robinson: Dartford's record appearance holder is now the manager of the NatWest Bank's branch in Bexleyheath.
Nigel Williams: The former Wolves and Gillingham rightback lives in Faversham, Kent and has spent the last 31 years working for brewers Shepherd Neame as a warehouse manager.
