Chris Palmer, writer and reporter

What is your connection to the club?

I’m one of the media team. I write the match reports, update the tables on the website and write player interviews for the Women’s and Men’s teams.

What does the role involve?

I conduct and write the player interviews for both the Women’s and Men’s teams. I currently do one of each for every home programme which then goes on the website. I also write up the reports following each match. The match reports are usually written on my way home from the matches and I try to get them up within a few hours.

I then update the league tables and other match-day content on the website following every match.

How did the role come about?

There was an advert on Twitter and I applied for it. The club trialled me during a couple of friendlies and liked what I did and offered me the position. This is now my sixth season!

How long have you been a supporter for?

For nine years now.

What does the club mean to you?

I’m registered as disabled and long-term sick. I lost a kidney in 1990 and then had a kidney transplant in 1994, so if I lost my remaining one and there was no dialysis available, I’d only have a few weeks to live. It’s a miracle, really, because the average transplant lasts 12 years, but I’ve had this kidney for 30!

When I was a child, the drugs they used triggered a muscular dystrophy known as CMT, which left me with severe nerve damage and muscle waste and will get progressively worse over time.

Despite these illnesses, the club has been very, very accepting, very loving, very kind and patient. The CMT means I struggle to write and have to type with one finger and do everything on my laptop and phone, but I’m very fast, if I do say so myself!

I’ve never been able to work, so working for Dartford is like a lifeline for me. It gets me out, I’ve met a lot of people and made some great friends. I love it here.

Any favourite memories? 

The Eastbourne game where we won 7-1 and the Ebbsfleet matches a few years ago when we beat them home and away, are ones that stick out.  For one of them, I hadn’t even sat down and we had scored and they were great games.

What’s your take on the team today?

Last season was difficult and Ady had to rebuild the squad. Considering we lost nearly everyone for various reasons, it’s taken time to start gelling, but I think we are starting to see some consistency now. Ady’s doing a great job, but we have to be patient.

Favourite players at the moment?

Olly Box and Callum Jones. Callum just doesn’t stop working and Olly is going to be a special player for us.

Hopes for the season? 

For me, personally, I’d like to see the team consolidate in the league and maybe with an added bonus of reaching the play-offs!