This week I caught up with Dorking Wanderers manager Marc White to discuss where the club sits currently and what he expects from the coming season, no mention of a tuna wrap though!
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TK: What’s been the process for you since the season ended on and off the pitch?
MW: The process on and off the pitch continues to be the hardest part for us. Going between regional and national football is tough and now we’re taking a backwards step.
The difference between the two is quite significant, cost, the type of player you can recruit. Below the top two levels you can use a similar squad with bolt on players, bouncing between those levels has an impact on the financial model.
Travel, Premier League funding, attendances, they all come into play, less away fans even. It’s been more hard work the last few years, our plan now is build a model that will fit for both levels of the National League but for it to be our model.
TK: How do you see the National League South panning out next season and who do you pick out as the contenders?
MW: I genuinely believe that whoever finishes above us will win the league. As we know from previously being in the division you have to respect the opponent, fair to say we have a really good record in that division too.
We’ve never finished outside of the play offs in every single competing season. First time out we snuck in with a Step 3 level side, pandemic year we were winning the league with the same side plus a smattering of signings and then that infamous win that got us promotion.
I’m expecting the usual sides to be up there, Maidstone, Bath, Worthing, Torquay, St Albans. But we’ll be focussing on us and what we do, which is why I don’t expect any to be above us.
TK: What’s the biggest thing you’ll miss from the top division itself?
MW: The exposure. We’re only a very small football club that’s been around 20 years in total, and what we get from being in the top division really does help pay the bills, so that is a huge loss for a club of our size.
TK: Are you expecting an influx of players in the next two months having to drop down into non-league with contracts just not there in the EFL?
MW: Yep, absolutely there will be. Smaller squads being held these days means there isn’t room for everyone to fit. We’ll definitely see some of these in Step 2 as the summer draws to a conclusion.
TK: Finally, are you quite pleased with the business you’ve done so far and are you anticipating a few more arrivals?
MW: Yes, for me we’ve done the recruitment we needed to early and I’m not expecting any more arrivals unless we feel we’re lacking in any department which would surprise me.
My thanks to Marc for his time as always and best wishes to him and Dorking Wanderers for the season ahead.
