Jacob Bland has only been in the Darts team for three matches, but already he feels like he’s been here forever.
His signing a week into October coincided with an uptick in results, with one draw and two wins since he came into the team.
And now, he has set his eyes on establishing himself in the squad and helping them continue on an upwards trajectory.
The 21-year-old midfielder said: “I’ve settled in really well. I have to thank all the players and staff, as they have made me feel part of the team from Day One. It feels like I’ve been at the Club for ages.
“I’d played here before and you can see why teams try to lift their game when they are here. They see the support and ground and realise it’s a massive club.
“And that’s what I’ve seen first-hand since I’ve been here. It’s a great club, with good facilities and a great fanbase and now we want to keep moving in the right direction.”
Starting his career with Southend Utd Academy, Jacob signed for Concord on loan in his third year at the Academy. He then signed for Chelmsford City and was put out on loan to Bowers & Pitsea, but was recalled by his parent club in December where he stayed for the rest of the season.
He trained with the Darts in the summer, before signing for Bowers & Pitsea – and then moving to DFC at the start of October. In just three games, his work-rate, footballing brain and driving runs, have caught the eye.
He continued: “I trained at Dartford for two or three weeks in the summer but I wasn’t really match fit, so went to Bowers and really enjoyed it. But in the back of my mind, I was hoping to come back.
“When I saw the start the team had I was really surprised. There’s a lot of quality here. But there have been a lot of injuries and suspensions and it’s very early days.”
What type of player does Jacob see himself as?
He continued: “I’m a box-to-box midfielder, but I don’t mind where in midfield I play. I like to get everywhere on the pitch.
“Ever since I’ve come here, things seem to have clicked. On the pitch, I’ve really enjoyed playing with Jez and Samir, we have quickly gelled and learnt to understand each other’s games well and that really helps how you play.”
Jacob has set himself personal goals for the season, with Ady Pennock playing a key role in how he has settled in on the pitch.
He added: “Ady tells us to enjoy ourselves. He brings out the confidence in players. He sets up the team really well and then lets us go out and do our thing. There’s a lot of information put over and it’s up to us to carry it out on the pitch.
“I want to be promoted with the team. It will be massive for the team and Club and after coming so close last year, I’d love to be part of something big here.”
Good luck Jacob and welcome to the Club!
