Tuesday evening saw Dartford host Slough Town at Bericote Powerhouse Princes Park. Dartford FC Women’s Jade Charlton featured in our matchday programme that day. For those who missed that feature, here is the full article:
Goalkeeper Jade Charlton has been an integral part of the Dartford FC Women team since the beginning. She has played alongside Adele Pearce, Emily Read, and Georgie Davis since the side was originally known as the London Girls.
Her journey with the club began when she was just ten years old, and she’s still the official number one today, despite a rather interesting few months off… “I popped out a baby 21 weeks ago… HaHaHaHa! Apart from having a baby and being on maternity leave, and feeling like a brand new mum again, my life at the moment consists of looking after my children and being around football… either at Dartford, Dartford FC Women, or watching Connor (Dymond) play. I’ve been a cheerleader recently… I’m a secret Non-League football fan!”
Not only did Jade give birth to her and partner Connor’s second child during the summer, she soon returned to life between the sticks for the Darts after her eagerness to return to action was too much to bear! But, where did it all begin for her?
“I played for my all-girls team at Secondary School, where we won various trophies. At school, I remember telling them that I was a striker as I didn’t want to play in goal. Our goalkeeper got injured during one of the games, and a friend of mine grassed on me, saying I was a goalie! Once the coaches knew that and saw how good I was, they kept me in goal.”
Having established herself as a goalkeeper, a young Jade had a small stint at The New Den, where she represented Millwall at U16 and senior levels. However, “…they totally destroyed my confidence as a goalkeeper, so I left the following season.”
She soon joined London Girls and, in the 2018-19 campaign, they became Dartford FC Women. As they looked to make additions to their women’s side, Jade became their goalkeeper and has remained at Bericote Powerhouse Princes Park ever since… “this is my fifth season in the Dartford FC family.”
Having been involved in the sport since an early age, has the beautiful game always been on Jade’s radar? “I’ve never not played football! However, it is more of a hobby rather than a career for me. The sport gave me my own independence and a sense of belonging and, being around friends and people that I love, and who have the same passion, has made me love this sport.”
She continues, “…At Primary School, I used to watch the boys play football in the playground with a tennis ball but, at the time, only boys could play. Eventually, the Charlton Community came into the school and did training. I begged Mum and Dad to let me go, which they paid for. I absolutely loved it and, because my parents saw how much passion I had for the sport, Mum managed to find me a local team. And, the rest is history…!”
Throughout her time in the game, Jade has actually had a few teams approach her. Unfortunately, that experience involving Millwall had such a negative effect on her, that she never took the plunge. Instead, she’s remained with the same team and same group of people for a very long time and has no regrets.
And, being inspired by the likes of Peter Schmeichel and Mary Earps, her attitude towards the game has changed slightly, “…it’s only been these last few seasons that the growth of women’s football has changed my personal ambitions as a player. I really want to play at a higher level…well, in the league above us, and I hope to inspire the younger girls at Dartford. For me, now it’s all about leaving a legacy behind at Dartford, both for the women’s team and for young girls.”
There have been many memories made during Jade’s long career, all of which she reflects on fondly during our discussion. Perhaps of more importance is the time she paid the price for helping the Darts win some silverware… “I broke my wrist pulling off a save for us during the League Cup. We won 5-4 and it was our first piece of silverware as Dartford FC Women, so it was worth it!”
By remaining between the goalposts, it’s unusual for a goalkeeper to grab goals, unless it’s in the wrong end! Yet, Jade is one of the few who has a goal credited in her name, “…I’ve scored a goal once. I was playing for London Girls and it was Emily Read’s last game before she went travelling… Anyway, we were playing the top side in the league and were 2-1 down. We won a corner in the dying seconds and I went up for it… and, guess what… I only went and scored with a header!”
The wonderful thing about Jade, despite her warm heart, genuine openness, and love for people is that, when she gets on a role, the words flow from her. There are simply too many memories inside her memory banks to share in one single article, and it just doesn’t stop on the football pitch. Despite humbly confessing to me that she’s dyslexic, she’s also an extremely creative person who absolutely loves arts and graphics. She studied at the University of Arts, London and is the proud owner of a BA Hons Degree in Design for Graphic Communication.
“I’m a Graphic Designer and I currently work and prepare presentation design for a company called KPMG. I design lots of bids, presentations, and flyers together with animations, etc…” she continues… “I love creating social media content for the women’s team. It’s a hobby of mine, which includes designing social posts, posters, etc… I also love designing logos and party invitations.”
So, Jade Charlton, goalkeeper, Graphic Designer, and Mum to two children (7-year-old Preston and new baby Maddox), who is also the partner of manager Connor Dymond is an extremely busy person indeed. Yet, she also makes time to make sure her teammates are alright… “It’s really weird, but I have to buy a bottle of water and sports drink, as well as five bags of sweets for the girls at the Champions Bar before a game. I even did it when I was pregnant…and…at the moment, I only stick to wearing my green kit on game days and have to be the first one into the changing room!”
As we reach the end of our conversation, Jade has a few more words to say about herself and her dreams for the club. So, I think it’s only fair to let her have the final say…
“I love this club and want to continue playing for as long as I possibly can. Ultimately, though, I want to remain here in some capacity after my playing days. I have so much love for this club and its fans. So many people have backed us from the beginning, people like the Chairman Steve and people from the DFCSA, such as Micky Howe and Scott, as well as Colin and Karen Sparrow, who all help us day in, day out…
“I also want to say a massive thank you to everyone who have backed us from the beginning, as well as new faces who watch us now. We’re so grateful and I seriously can’t wait to see more of you at our games. Please continue to support us, as the team is forever growing and we really appreciate your support.”
By Chris Palmer