Amid a global pandemic that is altering the trajectory of life as we know it, with several aspects of society shutting down one by one, the temporary suspension of English football's fifth tier feels futile. However, at a time where the glorious escapism of the beautiful game would be very welcome, it was a bitterly disappointing albeit an overwhelmingly inevitable decision. The National League said that they'd tried to keep the season going 'in the face of unprecedented adversity' but now had 'no other choice' but to postpone all fixtures in its three divisions until April 3rd at the very earliest. This unavoidable conclusion will hit non-league teams very hard and this was emphasised by the news, just a day after the National League statement, that Barnet FC had put the entirety of their operational staff across all areas of the club on notice. Our managing director Steve Thompson told the BBC that clubs at our level need up to 20 million of government money to survive. Barnet, though not exactly a model example of how a club should be run, are just the first of so many who will be affected by the Coronavirus. Much like the remainder of society the task is simply to withstand the pressure of the subsequent months and rebuild afterwards. Quite simply they cannot afford to lose the income that would've otherwise been generated by the completion of their fixtures. They need the campaign to reach it's conclusion though there are obviously logistical issues to this. Completing the season within the current timescale is unfeasible and will almost certainly require a significant extension into the summer, which then heavily affects the 2020/21 schedule too. Similarly inconvenient is the notion of rendering 2019/20 null and void as that not only deprives lower-league clubs of critical income but also is unfair on those who are on the verge of a great achievement like Barrow, who may never be in this position again. There is no perfect solution. So, where this weekend we would ordinarily be entertaining Halifax Town at home, Victoria Road will instead lie empty, as will most of a society that is dismantling before our very eyes. Mainline train stations, usually teaming with passengers, will be deserted. London's most renowned tourist hotspots will be devoid of their usual custom. Most importantly, a country that thrives on going out will be restricted to the confines of their home for the foreseeable future. The absence of football is insignificant compared to the wider implications of the virus but it reaffirms how important the sport is to us all. It plays an integral role in people's lives. Nobody could've possibly anticipated that after the gates shut following our crushing last-minute defeat to Fylde on the 10th March, that they may not re-open again for another three months or however long it will take for normality to be restored. How nice it would be to wake up at 5am and trek to some Northern outpost in the hidden corridors of England. Instead, there will be months of relentless boredom and monotonous pastimes. Eventually our lives will return to normal and we can go back to furiously discussing the latest infuriating defeat, but for now everything is shrouded in uncertainty. We don't quite know when it will resume, but for now the McMahon revolution is on hold and it will be all the more immersing when it returns. It's just a case of riding the storm during this defining period in our existence. I will keep finding things to discuss about the Daggers in the meantime and here are three stories from the club in the past few weeks: Reece Grant joins the Shots on loan
About an hour prior to kick-off in the reduced National League schedule on Saturday 14th March, it was announced that Reece Grant has joined Aldershot Town on loan and he was thrust straight into their starting lineup for an away game at Fylde that they lost 1-0. Along with Joe Quigley to Billericay and James Dobson to Hemel Hempstead, along with the rumours of Joan Luque being offered to Concord Rangers, this reinforces the idea that McMahon is slowly cutting certain players out of his plans for 2020/21. Grant and Dobson are both under contract for the next campaign but we might have to cut our losses there. Statement on Woking Postponement There was much confusion regarding the postponement which, in the words of Woking, was sudden and unexpected. On Monday 16th March, the Daggers issued a statement to document their reasoning behind having the fixture cancelled, explaining that there were no issues until two players informed the Sports Therapist that they were unwell, after which the club triggered the process of having the game postponed. Dagenham apologised for the frustratingly late call but reasoned there was no need to call it off any earlier. Of course, this is largely immaterial now because of the league suspension. Steve Thompson on effect of National League suspension Dagenham Managing Director Steve Thompson gave an interview to the BBC in which he outlined the problems facing lower league clubs in this crisis. He said that there needs to be 20 million generated in order to address the severe problems caused by Coronavirus, and that this fund needs to be government-led.
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Football means so much to so many. People's moods and behaviour are determined by those 90 minutes during which every possible emotion on the spectrum can be experienced. Football delivers some of the best days and moments a person can ever have in their lifetime. Bill Shankly once famously said that it isn't just a matter of life and death but indeed far more important than that. However, it turns out that in real matters of life and death, real societal emergencies, that football dwarfs into something very insignificant. That's why the National League's decision to resume matches while the significant majority of European football had come to a standstill drew much bemusement and frustration. Eastleigh manager Ben Strevens called it a decision motivated by 'money'. Chesterfield openly slammed the league in a website article. Our owner Peter Freund said that the National League must postpone their season or be known as 'the most tone deaf and foolish organisation in existence'. Although the government did not ban or even advise against fixtures taking place, it was obvious that the players, staff and supporters of most clubs were not happy with the decision and as such the logical action would've been to follow in the footsteps of other footballing bodies in the country. Several sides in our division subsequently postponed their games over Coronavirus fears anyway. The Daggers did the same although the circumstances behind it were somewhat different. Several sources, including the below statement by Woking, indicate that Dagenham & Redbridge simply didn't turn up to play the match. Though there's nothing to state that there would have categorically been a risk in playing it, supporters would completely understand that in the current climate it may not be the best decision to proceed with the game. However, that this was announced at half 11, at which point many supporters were en route having assumed (without evidence otherwise) that the game was going ahead is incredibly frustrating.
Peter Freund Statement (15 Mar) Woking's statement suggests we had no intention of travelling and contesting the fixture which, again, supporters understand. However, if that is the case (there is nothing to confirm) then it is annoying for supporters and also an incredible inconvenience to Woking who will have lost out on catering costs, staff costs, programmes etc. For the supporters of both teams and indeed the Woking FC hierarchy to first learn of this after 10.30am, when they were fully prepared for the game, is not ideal although these are not ideal circumstances for not only us and Woking but the entire world. Had we requested a postponement like Harrogate Town did ahead of their clash at Solihull, then there would be no complaints however if we have blatantly not turned up to play the fixture as it is suggested we have then it may not have necessarily been the best solution and could potentially incur punishment, should the division resume which is looking increasingly unlikely. A lot of teams expressed their discontent at having to play yet they rolled their sleeves up and got on with it. I'm not quite sure what happened which meant we didn't do the same, even if it is true that fixtures shouldn't have been going ahead in the first place. Everybody wants to watch their team play but also people understand that the safety of people far outweighs the importance of football in what is a testing time for society that is only guaranteed to escalate to more concerning proportions in the coming weeks. Therefore, especially in light of this weekend, it is virtually inevitable that the National League will swiftly emulate the action taken by the Premier League and the EFL. And so, if this is the end and we're about to be plunged into a sustained period devoid of the glorious escapism that is football, then what a frustrating way to bow out. A day after this was written, Dagenham & Redbridge FC issued a statement on the matter which does clarify a number of things regarding the events of the day, while also acknowledging the frustration caused by the late decision. However, what it doesn't explain is why, if we had two members of staff in self-isolation prior to Saturday, we didn't take the action of requesting or declaring a postponement at that time. However, though the situation was not fantastic for either of the two parties, it is clear that the Daggers acted in a responsible and reasonable manner. It's obvious there was a lack of transparency which is why the stance of both teams seem to differ, but in conclusion the decision to postpone can be seen as a logical one (and one that should've been decided by the league), even if it wasn't communicated as well as it should've been. The action taken by clubs like ourselves, coupled with the government declaration that emergency workers would no longer support mass gatherings, forced the hand of the National League who have swiftly decided to suspend their season until April 3rd at the earliest, saying that they tried to keep it going 'in the face of unprecedented adversity' but now had 'no other choice but to reach this decision'. Dagenham & Redbridge Statement (16 Mar) On a weekend where the Premier League, Football League and indeed the majority of European football will be coming to a standstill, the National League have announced it's business as usual for clubs in the fifth and sixth tiers, meaning that for us focus can now shift to a very important game away at Woking. The decision to resume games amidst the global Coronavirus pandemic would've stunned many given that the top four divisions in England were all suspended, yet it is important to remember that the decision is made at the discretion of each footballing entity and that there has been no official government declaration preventing or even advising against fixtures being played at this stage. That will inevitably change as the crisis escalates, but for now football in the Vanarama National League continues. Back to the football itself, the Daggers will be heading to Kingfield off the back of a bitterly disappointing defeat at home to Fylde in midweek which marked the first significantly disappointing moment in a Daryl McMahon reign that has otherwise been promising. His all-or-nothing mentality has had a refreshing impact on Dagenham supporters and, though it ultimately cost us on Tuesday, will do more harm than good for us. After equalising through Brundle, we surged forwards in search of the winner but this resulted in a 94th minute defeat. Three days earlier, away at Aldershot, we also went for it and this time snatched all three points. Of course, it's not going to work all the time but in the end we accumulated more points in those two games (3) than if we'd have settled for a point in each one (2). Over the course of an entire season you'll achieve more just through being more adventurous, not to mention the added entertainment that brings. The home game against AFC Fylde was the first in which we've been genuinely poor under McMahon, and we'll be looking to put that right this weekend. While we were suffering late heartbreak against the Coasters, Woking were also experiencing similar frustration as they were defeated 3-1 at home to Barnet in a game that broke their four game unbeaten run. Their form since the beginning of the year has been poor in the main, though, with seven defeats from the last twelve matches significantly diminishing their hopes of reaching the play-offs.
Prior to that dramatic descent in form, the Cards had been one of, if not the biggest, surprise package in the division. A 2-0 victory against ourselves on the opening weekend of the season laid the foundations for a fantastic August in which they won seven of their eight games and stormed to the top of the table, however this was directly followed by a two-month winless spell that dragged them down into a league position more reflective of their true capabilities. In many ways their unpredictable form epitomises the nature of the National League. However, they are more than capable of defeating us on Saturday and so it will take a fantastic, unified effort from the team to emerge from Surrey with all three points. We were victorious in the same county last weekend, our first win on our travels in six months, so will have the appetite to claim another triumph in our quest to remain in this division. The stage is set for an afternoon of football that is finely poised. Whatever the result, it's a day that players, staff and supporters will need to savour because, with the Coronavirus crisis and calls for the National League to follow in the footsteps of similar organisations, we may soon be starved of football for an implausibly long time. The monumental 630-mile round trip to Barrow on Saturday delivered an afternoon in which, despite the result, the strengths far outweighed the negatives. That a narrow defeat to the league leaders in torrential, football-suppressing conditions is the only one we've suffered in the National League under McMahon is a testament to the vast improvements he has overseen. Though there have been changes in personnel, with Alex Reid, Ben House and Myles Weston all adding extra firepower to our attacking ranks, the biggest alteration to the club is in mentality. We've approached every game with refreshing fearlessness and performed with a will to express ourselves. We'll lose a few games along the way, just as we did on Saturday, but that's part and parcel of a risky, yet potentially very rewarding, philosophy. I felt Peter Taylor thought our supporters were quite demanding, but in reality we don't expect too much at all. As long as the team plays with effort, determination and an overriding desire to win the game, supporters are largely satisfied. On Saturday, we pushed the league leaders all the way by deploying a very attacking formation in which Balanta, Deering, House and Reid were all on the pitch. We fell short, but it was a truly outstanding effort from the team - nobody will ever complain about that. The handful of Daggers supporters in attendance both respected and appreciated the performance, especially taking into account the conditions both teams were up against. It didn't feel like a defeat, with pride the overwhelming emotion as the players conducted themselves in a manner rarely seen under Taylor. However, the fact that Barrow's fans, as well as our own, gave the team credit for their display really emphasises how well we played. I contrast that to another long trip, back in December, where Hartlepool's supporters condemned us for our painfully negative mindset and lack of ambition to do anything other than settle for a point. Two months on, and we're getting praise for our adventurous style away at the league leaders no less, which pinpoints just how far we've progressed as a team under a manager who promotes the art of attacking. A few pictures from last Saturday's trip to Barrow. The endeavour and positivity of the Daggers contributed to it being an unforgettable, entertainment-filled afternoon in Cumbria, even despite the result, and with McMahon at the helm I'm adamant there will be more of those days in the future. It hasn't been resoundingly enjoyable following the club away from home throughout the past eighteen months and there simply hasn't been enough in return. Success and entertainment is long, long overdue.
Hopefully that will materialise next season, after a very necessary summer overhaul in which we clear out a lot of the dead wood accumulated by Taylor. For now, though, focus shifts towards the rest of this season, and after seven months of relentless drama it would be nice to watch the next few weeks go by without too much incident as we look to steer ourselves away from the dreaded relegation zone. A lower mid-table finish is realistic for us now, though such is the manner of this division that everything can change in a matter of days. Fylde at home next Tuesday night is a vital clash that has the potential to either suck us back into the bottom four or push us away from it, but prior to that is a trip to Aldershot Town which is our sole priority at the moment as we aim to finally win away for the first time since late-September. That's another Taylor statistic McMahon needs to break. |
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January 2024
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