Dartford were formed in 1888 and were founding members of the Kent League in 1894. In 1896, they became founding members of the Southern League Division Two and were champions in their first season but lost to Wolverton LNWR in the promotion test matches. A year later, Dartford re-joined the Kent League. In 1898, they re-joined the Southern League but left again for the Kent League after one season and later joined the West Kent League because of financial difficulties. After winning the West Kent League and Cup in 1909, they re-joined the Kent League. I
In 1926, Dartford re-joined the Southern League and were placed in the Eastern Division where they finished 8th. In 1931 and 1932, they were Eastern Division champions and in 1937, following the re-organisation of the league they became part of the new, single division, Southern League. In 1939, they finished bottom.
After the end of WW2, Dartford re-joined the Southern League in 1946/47, finishing 11th. In 1953, the club finished bottom and were bottom again the following season. In 1958, following the influx of a number of new clubs, Dartford were placed in a regional, South East Division and finished 3rd, gaining them a place in the Premier Division, but in 1961, they were relegated to Division One. Dartford bounced back the next season, finishing 3rd and were promoted back to the Premier Division.
In 1966, Dartford were relegated back to Division One, but only missed out on promotion, in 1968, on goal average. In 1970, they finished 3rd and were promoted back to the Premier Division. In 1974, Dartford won the Southern League title for the first time, finishing 8 points clear of Grantham. They also reached the final of the FA Trophy losing 2-1 to Morecambe at Wembley. Astonishingly, Dartford were relegated to the new Southern League Division One South the following season after finishing 3rd from bottom, one place above Barnet, but finished 2nd in 1976 and were promoted back to the Premier Division.
In 1979, Dartford finished 17th and missed the cut off point for the new Alliance Premier League and, instead, were placed in the regional, Southern Division, which they won in 1981 and were promoted to the Alliance Premier League. However, they finished 21st and were relegated back to the Southern League, where they were placed in the Premier Division.
In 1984, Dartford won the Southern League title and were promoted back to the Alliance Premier League, now known as the Gola League and finished 3rd in their first season, their highest position in their history, but the following season they were relegated again. In 1989, they missed out on promotion on goal difference.
In 1993, the club in terrible financial trouble, largely due to a disastrous ground share with Maidstone, resigned from the Southern League and soon after, re-joined the Kent League. Dartford were forced to ground share themselves; at Erith & Belvedere and in 1996, Dartford won promotion back to the Southern League Southern Division. In 1997, they moved to Purfleet in another ground share.
In 2006, by now in the Southern League Division One East, Dartford were transferred to the Isthmian League Division One South and in November 2006, they played their first match at their new ground in Dartford, Princes Park after having had another ground share with Gravesend & Northfleet. In their first season in their new league and ground, Dartford finished 7th.
The following season, Dartford were relocated to the Division One North and won the championship in 2008 and were promoted to the Isthmian League Premier Division. In 2010, they were Premier Division champions and were promoted to Conference South. Two years later, Dartford finished 2nd and made the play-offs, defeating Welling United 1-0 in the final to win promotion to Conference National.
Dartford finished 8th in their first season, but last season they were relegated after finishing 22nd but were reprieved, along with Chester, following the expulsions of Salisbury & Hereford United.
In 1965, Barnet & Dartford met in the 1st round of the FA Cup and Dartford won 2-0. The two clubs next met when they were both in the Southern League Premier Division. Dartford had been promoted from Division One the previous season. Dartford won 1-0 at home but the Bees beat them for the first time at Underhill, Lou Adams scoring a hat trick in a 5-1 victory with Colin Powell and Les Eason grabbing a goal apiece.
The following season, Barnet completed the double over Dartford, winning 2-1 at Summers Meadow with goals from Gerry ward and Powell and winning 4-0 at Underhill with Ben Embury scoring a brace and Powell and Godfrey one each. The two clubs also met in the 4th round of the FA Trophy that year at Dartford, the Bees winning 2-0 with Powell and Eason scoring. Barnet went onto the final before losing to Stafford Rangers at Wembley.
The following season, the two sides drew 1-1 at Barnet, Cogger scoring for the Bees, while Barnet won 3-1 at Underhill with two goals from Ricky George and one from Embury. In 1973/74, Dartford won 2-0 at home, but Barnet won by the same score at Underhill with goals from Eason and Dave Bibby. In 1974/75 both games were drawn; 3-3 at Dartford with goals from Billy Holmes, T Evans and an own goal while Holmes scored in a 1-1 draw at Underhill. At the end of the season, Barnet were relegated.
Following promotion back into the Premier Division in 1977, Barnet met up with Dartford again and Dartford won 3-2 at home with the Bees’ goals coming from John Fairbrother and Steve Ragan while Barnet won 4-1 at Underhill with goals from Russell Townsend, Billy Meadows, Eason and Jimmy Greaves. 1978/79 was the last Southern League season for the Bees and, as usual, Dartford won at home, this time 2-1 with Jimmy Cleary scoring for the Bees and Barnet won at Underhill; Cleary scoring from the penalty spot in a 1-0 win for the home side. At the end of the season, Barnet were elected to the newly formed, Alliance Premier League (now the Conference) by finishing 13th (the cut off point), while Dartford, who finished 17th, were moved to the new Southern League – Southern Division.
In 1981, Dartford were champions and promoted to the Alliance Premier and in 1981/82, the two clubs met again. Not unexpectedly, Dartford won at home, 2-1 with Colin Barnes scoring for the Bees and Barnet won 2-0 at Underhill with goals from Steve Robinson and Gary Sargent. However, Dartford were relegated back to the Southern League at the end of that season.
In 1984, Dartford won the Southern League Premier Division and were promoted back to the Alliance Premier. That season, the two clubs met in the FA Trophy at Underhill with the Bees winning 3-0 with goals from John Margerrison, John Docker and Nicky Evans.
In 1984/85, Dartford completed the double over the Bees winning 1-0 at Underhill, their first success at the Bees’ ground and 2-0 at Dartford. The following season, 1985/86, things returned to normal between the two clubs with Barnet winning 2-0 at Underhill with goals from Bill Baldry and Robert Codner and the Darts winning 5-3 at Dartford with Barnet’s goals coming from Dave Sansom and Nicky Evans who scored twice. At the end of the season, Dartford were relegated again.
The last meeting between the two clubs was in the 1987/88 season in the 2nd round of the GMAC Cup, which was for Conference clubs and feeder leagues into the Conference. Barnet won 3-1 with goals from Sansom, Evans and Nicky Ironton.
Last season, the two clubs met at Dartford in the Skrill Premier and the Bees won 2-0 with goals from Keanu Marsh-Brown and Luisma Villa. In the return fixture at the Hive, Jon Nurse scored the only goal of the game in a match in which Edgar Davids was sent off.
Earlier in the season, Barnet won 4-0 at the Hive with Lee Cook scoring a second half hat trick. The other Barnet goal came from John Akinde.