WE'RE BACK ON THE WHITE RATH

IT'S been a rough ride for Dover Athletic in recent years.

- Matt Badcock

Pushing for a place in the Football League less than ten years ago, in the past three seasons they've won just 18 of their 136 league games.

Having been forced to pull down the shutters in the 202021 National League season over the Covid funding row, they won just twice the following year having also been slapped with a 12-point deduction as they slipped out of Non-League's top flight.

That has been followed by two tough years at Step 2 with last season's rock-bottom finish returning the Whites to the Isthmian Premier after 15 years away.

But, whisper it quietly, the grey clouds over Crabble are starting to clear. Last weekend's 5-1 win over Kent rivals Dartford the latest step on their journey back to better times.

Manager Jake Leberl, who took over last season following the departure of Mitch Brundle, knows all about the good times at his hometown club.

A former player; he was also Chris Kinnear's assistant as the part-timers went toe-to-toe with the National League's big boys and even reached the FA Cup third round, where they played Crystal Palace.

Clean slate

In their six league games so far, they've hit 24 goals, won four and drawn once, to make a strong start to the season.

Leberl, feet firmly on the ground, is enjoying the challenge.