Wembley Stadium has hosted thousands of high-profile sporting events since it's opening in 2007 and it's fabled arch has overseen plenty of promotions in that time. Several teams have walked those famous 107 steps to lift silverware and several have watched glumly from down below. Millions of football supporters have emerged from Wembley Park Station with hope in their hearts and nervous excitement in their stomachs. Therefore, the 2010 Play-Off Final between Dagenham and Rotherham United won't rank amongst the most memorable matches to have been contested on the hallowed turf of the national stadium. Beyond the confines of a relatively insignificant London borough and an unremarkable town in South Yorkshire, it won't be remembered. However, for everybody associated with Dagenham & Redbridge, the 30th May 2010 will never be forgotten. It was the day they achieved promotion to League One, a statement that only scrapes the surface of how remarkable an accomplishment that was for a plucky little outfit who, just a few years earlier, were battling it out with Canvey Island and Gravesend but would now be taking on the likes of Southampton, Charlton and Sheffield Wednesday as their equal. It was a dream turned into reality by John Still and a valiant team characterised by incredible determination. ''Dagenham & Redbridge look a very different side to about ten or fifteen minutes ago when they were on the back foot, and here's Benson...BRILLIANT!!!!! Paul Benson...with the stuff of fairytales!'' Understanding the sheer magnitude of this achievement requires just a quick glance at at the current league table. The Daggers are 18th in the National League, a position more reflective of their status in the football pyramid. Our attendances and ground are fairly standard for the level we play at. A few years ago, we were the only Football League side nobody could name on the BBC show Pointless. We're not a big club. We're not even a medium-sized club. Most of all, we're certainly not a League One-sized club. However, despite all that, we became a League One club after a pulsating day at Wembley that, barring something even more miraculous, will forever retain the title of the greatest occasion in our history. That team, consisting predominantly of hungry players plucked from the darkest depths of non-league in archetypal John Still style, surpassed all expectations. They only crept into the final play-off place on the final day, but managed to destroy Morecambe by a record-breaking margin in the semi-finals and, as we all know, triumph over Rotherham in the showpiece event. They were the first ever seventh-placed side to win promotion from League Two and, to date, hold the record for the biggest margin of victory in a play-off match. They sent Dagenham & Redbridge to the third tier of English football for the first and only time in their existence. So, as we approach an entire decade since history was made, here's an overview of how the past decade has panned out for the players who started that day. Just a small club in Essex? Well, they're just a small club in League One now! PLAY-OFF HEROES: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?Tony ROBERTS - A keeper remembered as much for his eccentric antics as his outstanding reflexes, Roberts delivered possibly one of the most entertaining post-match interviews ever seen at Wembley. After fulfilling a lifelong dream of playing there at the ripe old age of 40, he managed one final season with the Daggers before hanging up the gloves for good. Since then, he's taken on the Goalkeeper Coach role at Swansea, Hebei China Fortune and the Welsh national team, where he is currently. Affectionately regarded by even visiting supporters, there simply aren't many characters like him nowadays. Now aged: 50
Damien McCRORY - The Irishman is widely regarded as our best left-back of the past decade, a feat made even better given that he was only 22 when he left. In the summer of 2012, he joined Burton Albion and played a key role in their rise from League Two to the Championship. McCrory is one of two players on this list who lined up against the Daggers last season, featuring for his current club Notts County in our FA Trophy defeat there in January. Now aged: 30 Scott DOE - The manner in which Doe left the club after nearly 300 appearances over two separate spells certainly wasn't befitting of a man who'd been that great a servant to us. However, while he was on the decline at the latter end of his time at Victoria Road, that doesn't discredit how excellent he was for us overall. After departing for a second time in 2018, he's struggled to find a long-term home, with spells at Whitehawk, Boreham Wood, Billericay Town and now Dover Athletic. Now aged: 31 Mark ARBER - As captain in both the play-off winning season and subsequent League One campaign, Arber was the leader during the best era of the club's history. As such, his respect from the fanbase requires no explanation. He made his exit at the end of the 2011/12 season, having a further season with Dartford and brief stints at Corby and Huntington Town before eventually retiring at the age of 35. He has also coached for Arsenal's academy. Now aged: 42 Abu OGOGO - When asked to name someone who epitomises being a Dagger, there aren't many people that spring to mind before this man. Ogogo started his Dagenham career at right back, the position in which he started the Play-Off Final at just 20 years old, but soon blossomed into both a combative midfielder and one of the best captains we've had at the club. Such was his impact on the team that his departure in 2015 virtually spelled the beginning of the end of our time in the Football League. It's no surprise Ogogo has gone on to earn a similar cult hero status at Shrewsbury Town and now Bristol Rovers. Now aged: 30 Peter GAIN - A battling midfielder who would devote everything to the cause, Gain brought priceless experience to that Dagenham side. He was in the latter years of his career when he joined the club in 2008, yet clearly still had life in him and managed to deliver a solid four years' work for us. In 2012, though, he hung up his boots, that spell under the stewardship of John Still proving to be his last in a respectable thirteen year career. Now aged: 43 Romain VINCELOT - Not a single supporter had heard of Vincelot when he signed for the club in January 2010 after spending the prior years of his career in the French lower leagues. He proved a revelation and the fact he was knocked unconscious while scoring a brave header at Colchester sums him up as a player; heroic, courageous and valiant. On that day at Wembley he nearly cunjured up one of the best goals seen at the national stadium with an audacious overhead kick. Has since played for a string of Football League outfits including Brighton, Leyton Orient, Coventry and Bradford. Currently at Shrewsbury. Now aged: 34 Danny GREEN - Four goals in 28 games for Bishop's Stortford doesn't sound particularly great, but it was enough for John Still to take a chance on Danny Green and he certainly didn't regret it, with the blonde-haired young winger taking League Two by storm in his first season. He found the net at Wembley with a wonderful strike, helping us to the third tier of English football where his equally impressive performances ensured we very nearly stayed up. He's now at Concord Rangers, having also played for Charlton, MK Dons and Luton Town since leaving Victoria Road. Now aged: 31 Jon NURSE - Scored 'that' goal - the most important goal in the club's history. That moment will be forever be imprinted upon the retinas of Dagenham supporters and the images of him celebrating it have been immortalised through the power of the internet. A three-year spell at Barnet was his only meaningful contribution in football after leaving the Daggers, but already had his career high. He now runs the Love The Ball Academy, a name inspired by a comment from former assistant Darren Currie. Now aged: 39 Josh SCOTT - A significant proportion of Josh Scott's career was stunted by injury and his time at Dagenham was no different, but he will nevertheless be fondly remembered at the club for that one afternoon in May when he became the only player in history to score four in one play-off match. His heroics that day meant we had, in the words of Sky's commentator, an arm and a leg in Wembley, and our 3-2 victory under the arch wouldn't have happened without him. After being released in 2014, he played for Aldershot and Hayes & Yeading but simply couldn't find the net regularly. Now aged: 35 Paul BENSON - Another one thrust from obscurity into eternal Dagenham folklore. Benno scored a total of 75 goals in 207 games for the club across two spells, including four in the 2009/10 play-offs, one of which was the all-important opener at Wembley. After leaving in August 2010, he played most notably for Charlton, Swindon and Luton Town but returned to us in 2017 as we attempted to return to the Football League at the first time of asking. Unfortunately, he couldn't work the same magic in the play-offs and we suffered semi-final heartbreak at Forest Green. His last club was Bedford in 2018. Now aged: 40
0 Comments
Saturday 25th April was supposed to be the last day of the season, an iconic date in the football calendar during which nine months of unparalleled drama winds to a halt in one final crescendo of nerve-jangling entertainment. Ambitions are fulfilled and, for some, nightmares are realised. For other teams embroiled in mid-table obscurity, it simply represents a chance to play with unrestricted freedom. All of this is invariably played out against a backdrop of glorious heat that makes freezing wintry afternoons in Chorley, Barrow and Hartlepool seem a million miles away. Yet this year the hectic end-of-season schedule never came to fruition, as football diminished into an insignificant afterthought amidst a global pandemic that drastically altered the entire landscape of society. Unbeknownst to us at the time, our last game of the season was that gut-wrenching night against Fylde where, in spite of our much-improved form under Daryl McMahon, we suffered a last-minute defeat to a team who hadn't experienced a victory for three months. There's a massive dissatisfaction with the manner in which our campaign ultimately ended, even if events in the subsequent weeks rendered it inconsequential. Now that the National League have confirmed that 2019/20 is officially over, though, it's time to reflect on a campaign that proved hectic on the pitch and equally turbulent off it. Here is my assessment on every player to have made a league start for the Daggers in the past nine months, ranked in order of how impressive they were, while I also give my take on who would've been in contention for Player of the Year had the annual awards taken place. PLAYER RATINGS 2019/20Elliot JUSTHAM (9) 37 Appearances; 9 Clean Sheets, 2/3 Penalties Saved
The sheer brilliance of Justham means it is almost guaranteed that he'd have earned this accolade for the second season running, which is not only a reflection of his importance to us but also of which area in the pitch our problems lie. His logic-defying saves proved a shining light in a season where the majority of his teammates failed to match his contribution. Ángelo BALANTA (9) 22 Appearances (1 Sub); 8 Goals, 4 Assists It doesn't feel right putting Balanta so high given the proportion of the season he missed, yet he still made a crucial contribution and without him we could have finished so much lower. A player with outstanding intelligence on the ball, he is one of the most talented in the entire division and is rightfully adored by the fanbase. Luke CROLL (8) 30 Appearances (1 Sub); 9 Clean Sheets, 0 Goals, 0 Assists Although he wasn't helped by Taylor's desire to deploy him as a left-back, in my opinion Croll is undoubtedly the best defender we have and someone whose performances have gone under the radar. At this level there aren't too many centre halves capable of playing out from the back as assuredly and calmly as Croll. He's a real asset to us. Matt ROBINSON (8) 33 Appearances (1 Sub); 0 Goals, 0 Assists A reliable source of grit and energy in the midfield, Matt Robinson is one of very few players who could hold their heads up high after this season. He's dependable, rarely misses a game through injury and is never afraid to put his body on the line or get stuck in. Mitch BRUNDLE (7) 27 Appearances; 6 Goals, 0 Assists After joining from Dover, where he was captain and frequently contributed to the attack, it's fair to say more was expected from Brundle than we saw in the opening weeks of the season. However, his performances under McMahon were outstanding and he demonstrated a brilliant ability to arrive in the box at the right time. When he's scoring, you simply can't fault him. Sam DEERING (7) 9 Appearances (1 Sub); 0 Goals, 3 Assists Had Deering played a full season for us at the same standard as he's performed in his spell so far, he'd undoubtedly be in the top three. He's been a revelation for us, his relentless running and energy a key reason for our upturn in form under Daryl McMahon. I can see Deering being a big asset for us next season. Manny ONARIASE (7) 27 Appearances (1 Sub); 9 Clean Sheets, 2 Goals, 1 Assist There's a lot of hype around Manny, much of it originating from his initial loan spell when he made a great impact. I feel he's had a solid if unspectacular season for us, but there's definitely been enough in his performance to constitute an extension of his contract. Alex REID (7) 6 Appearances (1 Sub), 3 Goals, 0 Assists I don't think Reid is the kind of 20 goal-a-season striker we're going to need next season, but he came in and did a good job for us in his relatively short loan spell. He has a decent eye for goal, and demonstrated this with his debut brace against Notts County and goal at Barrow. Liam GORDON (7) 14 Appearances (2 Sub); 8 Clean Sheets, 0 Goals, 1 Assist After being shafted by Peter Taylor, it was so satisfying to see Gordon return from his unnecessary loan spell and produce the kind of performances that have established him as a fans' favourite. He didn't play as many games as anybody would've liked, but there's no doubt he has a big part in McMahon's plans. Will WRIGHT (6) 27 Appearances (6 Sub); 5 Clean Sheets, 2 Goals, 1 Assist When Wright was moved from midfield to right-back at the end of last season, it made him a different player and he subsequently enjoyed a good battle with Eleftheriou for that position this term. As well as being an effective right-back, Wright proved something of a set-piece specialist, conjuring up one particularly excellent free-kick in the demolition of Aldershot. Harry PHIPPS (6) 9 Appearances (3 Sub); 0 Goals, 0 Assists While Balanta's absence has been pinpointed as the primary reason for our dramatic descent down the division, losing Harry Phipps was also a big blow. His untimely injury at Torquay came at a time where he was in decent form, and we certainly missed his presence in midfield afterwards. Chike KANDI (6) 23 Appearances (8 Sub); 4 Goals, 4 Assists Kandi has the energy and skill to beat the majority of the defenders in the division yet what invariably lets him down is the finish. Despite this, he has been a useful player for us this season and seems to have more maturity about him. Under McMahon he has primarily been used as an impact sub who can stretch tired legs. Andrew ELEFTHERIOU (6) 19 Appearances (1 Sub); 4 Clean Sheets, 0 Goals, 0 Assists Due to his excellent stamina and athleticism, Eleftheriou is the perfect wing-back, and I feel that's why he is McMahon's preferred option. Although he was occasionally caught out of position, his crossing ability and energy made him a good asset for us going forwards. Ben HOUSE (6) 9 Appearances (1 Sub); 2 Goals, 2 Assists On his debut, House looked the real deal so it was a surprise that he didn't register another goal for us again. Although that was rightfully used against him, he still looked dangerous and threatening. There's no disputing that House is a good footballer, with decent close control and a great work rate, but he didn't find the net enough for us. Myles WESTON (5) 4 Appearances (1 Sub); 0 Goals, 1 Assists Weston was clearly brought to the club with a view to next season more than this one. We've seen a mixed side of him so far, his well-weighted and beautifully-timed assist against Aldershot was impressive, but in his first start against Fylde three days later he was quite wasteful. He's definitely a big part of McMahon's plans. Toby STEVENSON (5) 10 Appearances; 0 Goals, 0 Assists An unnecessary signing who I thought didn't exhibit any characteristics that Liam Gordon was lacking. He wasn't a bad player for us by any means and was far from the most culpable for our struggles during the back end of 2019, but he didn't really improve us as a unit. Kenny CLARK (5) 33 Appearances; 8 Clean Sheets, 0 Goals, 0 Assists Our captain made a marginal improvement under McMahon but during the final months of Taylor's reign was stuck in a rut of really poor form that he couldn't shake: conceding penalties, making reckless challenges and frequently losing his man at corners. A good talker and organiser, yes, but he'll need to show more next season. Joan LUQUE (5) 28 Appearances (5 Sub); 3 Goals, 7 Assists Luque had certain games and certain moments where he looked really good, however they were far too infrequent and he was prone to going missing at times. Quite simply, he wasn't good enough on a consistent basis, and his inability to track back meant he was exiled from the first team after McMahon arrived. It's likely he's played his last game for the club. Alex MCQUEEN (5) 23 Appearances (5 Sub); 1 Goal, 6 Assists McQueen made a great impact for us last season so it's difficult to understand why he was unable to replicate it this term. Only registering one goal was disappointing, as was his overall level of performance compared to what we'd seen in the previous campaign. He hasn't done himself justice, and will probably find himself out the door this summer. Harold ODAMETEY (5) 6 Appearances (3 Sub); 0 Goals, 0 Assists Ironically, despite barely missing a single game for Maidenhead in the two years prior to joining us, Odametey sustained a season-ending injury almost as soon as he pitched up at Victoria Road. As such, it is difficult to give him any sort of rating. However, in the very few games he played, he seemed a decent midfielder with a good engine. Alex MCQUEEN (5) 23 Appearances (5 Sub); 1 Goal, 6 Assists McQueen made a great impact for us last season so it's difficult to understand why he was unable to replicate it this term. Only registering one goal was disappointing, as was his overall level of performance compared to what we'd seen in the previous campaign. He hasn't done himself justice, and will probably find himself out the door this summer. James DOBSON (4) 22 Appearances (10 Sub); 2 Goals, 2 Assists Whenever you sign someone for a fee at this level, there is a certain expectation placed on their shoulders. Unfortunately, with Dobson, it didn't really materialise. He obviously possesses quality, evidenced by his brilliant goal at Sutton and beautifully-measured assist against Bromley, but it wasn't demonstrated nearly as much as it should've been. Will WOOD (4) 4 Appearances (1 Sub); 0 Clean Sheets, 0 Goals, 1 Assists I feel a bit sorry for Wood because he wasn't given much of a chance, despite never looking a particularly bad player. However, it's impossible to look past the fact that he only started three games for us, often coming into the lineup then being exiled from the squad for weeks on end. I imagine both parties will reflect on this season as a waste. Gabriel ZAKUANI (4) 1 Appearance; 0 Clean Sheets, 0 Goals, 0 Assists Daryl McMahon's first permanent signing for the club wasn't a great one, with Zakuani playing a grand total of 40 minutes of National League football before sustaining an injury that left supporters not knowing whether to laugh or cry. In fairness he'd played quite well up until that point, with Notts County unable to breach our backline. Joe QUIGLEY (3) 30 Appearances (9 Sub); 5 Goals, 1 Assist Anyone who thought it was possible that Taylor could bring anyone as bad as Mullings to the club would've been dealt quite the surprise when Quigley arrived. He should be capped at three, a generous three, after 'that' miss against Halifax and the miss against Notts County in the FA Trophy. However, he did deliver one of the best moments of the season with the Yeovil winner. Reece GRANT (3) 26 Appearances (20 Sub); 2 Goals, 0 Assists The fact that we signed this player for a fee then eventually loaned him back to the same club from which he'd arrived says all you need to know about the success of this signing. Alongside Quigley he was supposed to provide the goals in the absence of Wilkinson, but managed just two for us in total. Bagasan GRAHAM (3) 21 Appearances (11 Sub); 0 Goals, 1 Assists For many towards the bottom of this list, there were moments of quality integrated within the far more prominent moments of ineptness. For Bagasan Graham I can't even really say that, even if he did improve slightly when the new manager came in. Graham has bundles of energy but not much substance. This is Part 2 of the Season Review. Click HERE for the first installment, which covers pre-season and the opening months of the campaign. Losses to Barrow, then Solihull, then Stockport, sent the Daggers slipping despairingly into lower mid-table with each defeat worst than the last. Then, out of nowhere, they faced Aldershot for what was one of the most ridiculous afternoons at Victoria Road in years. Debutants House and Deering shone as goal-shy, freefalling Dagenham won 6-1 in front of their American owners. Was this it, the turning point, the caveat of the season? Sadly yet not surprisingly it proved nothing more than a one-off, as normality soon resumed. The very next weekend they were soundly beaten away at 20th-placed AFC Fylde, the one after that they were embarrassingly defeated by bottom side Chorley. A midweek home defeat to Sutton separated these two results, meaning it was three straight losses for Peter Taylor's wounded troops. It wasn't going to get better, either, two further losses taking the tally to five in a row, with only FA Trophy progression against Sutton offering the tiniest speck of happiness. The Christmas period was the final straw for Taylor. Usually the most exciting spell in the calendar due to the hectic run of games in a short space of time, it was instead dreaded by supporters, for watching Dagenham was now more of a chore than a pleasure. Taylor simply had to go, but such was the level of perseverance towards him from the Dagenham hierarchy that it seemed unlikely. Every game the Daggers would play on the back foot, with the sole intention of nullifying the opposition. It was ineffective, it was dreadful to watch, and it was a tactic symptomatic of a one-dimensional manager who was long past it. The mood around the place was painfully low, with people who would once travel the length and breadth of the country now driven away. Part of this was down to the fact that Taylor showed little respect for the fans as if under the impression that we were lucky to have him, and as if he was baffled as to how supporters of little old Dagenham could possibly question the credentials of someone who once managed England. Quite simply, we deserved more for our money and the Americans deserved more for their investment. We needed a young, forward-thinking manager who could match our ambitions and restore some long-overdue cheer to Victoria Road before it was too late. We needed a man who strived to go better for himself, not someone on the way down in his managerial career. Above all else, we needed a man we could all get behind, rally round and support. For now, though, we were stuck with Taylor and morale around the club was at an all-time low. After a disappointing draw against bottom side Ebbsfleet on Boxing Day, which we wouldn't have even secured had it not been for a late Chike Kandi equaliser, a 3-0 defeat at Bromley made it nine defeats from eleven outings and marked 450 minutes since the Daggers last found the net on the road. This was a far cry from the season we'd dreamed of in the summer, and relegation was now a genuine possibility. It was hard to imagine things being much worse than they already were. Then, at 2pm on Sunday 29th December, the words every Dagger had been praying for: ''Club Statement: Peter Taylor''. The devastation of the previous day's events at Bromley were replaced with overwhelming joy and relief. The situation at the club was so abject that it seemed this news was inevitable, but the truth is it had gone so far that it simply felt like it would never happen. For all their investment, this was the biggest statement of intent that the Americans could've possibly made, and while Taylor had done enough to leave Dagenham's ambitions for the campaign irretrievable, it meant there was at least chance of some enjoyable moments in the next few months. No more five-at-the-back away at Chorley, no more playing for a point every week, no more inexplicable decisions like loaning out Liam Gordon or persistently starting Joe Quigley. The boost around the club was tangible. In their next game, with Terry Harris and Jody Brown in charge, the Daggers could only draw at Ebbsfleet but the performance was an unmistakeable improvement. Debate was raging about who would be the new man, with candidates ranging from Luke Garrard to Garry Hill. In the end, the Daggers made a popular choice by selecting someone young yet still equipped with good experience at this level: Daryl McMahon, who left League Two strugglers Macclesfield to take up the vacant post. The 36 year-old previously secured promotion from the National League South with an Ebbsfleet side who registered 96 points in the process, before guiding them into the play-offs in their first year in non league's top tier. His credentials seemed promising, and the fact that he played football in this division up until just a few years ago also would also bode well as he knew the modern game. McMahon watched from the stands against Torquay but his mere presence in the ground was enough to inject some life into it. A goalless draw littered with both positives and negatives would've given the Irishman plenty of food for thought, and it wasn't long before he begun to add his own hallmarks to the Dagenham squad with the additions of Alex Reid, Ben House, Myles Weston and Gabriel Zakuani in the next few weeks. The new manager bounce is well known but McMahon had an instant impact, with his impressive brand of fearless, attacking football a direct contrast to the defensive style of his predecessor. In the first two months of his reign, the Daggers were beaten twice; one was a last-minute defeat in the FA Trophy courtesy of a screamer from nearly the half-way line, the other a narrow defeat against the league leaders Barrow in biblical weather conditions. Results were good, with victories against play-off contenders Notts County and Solihull Moors, plus a late equaliser against Stockport, highlighting the progression made in a short space of time. Though they were eliminated in the FA Trophy, the Daggers were also able to enjoy success in another competition, the Essex Senior Cup. Naturally, in keeping with the club's stance towards this regional competition, it was utilised as an opportunity to play fringe players more than something they aspired to win from the off, but after wins against Hullbridge, Barking, Tilbury and Concord Rangers - the latter three under the stewardship of McMahon - the Daggers found themselves in the final. Unfortunately, as is now widely known, there is every chance that may never be played. In the first six weeks under McMahon, the Daggers racked up the same amount of clean sheets as in the previous six months with Taylor at the helm. However, the most important result came away at Aldershot Town in the first weekend of March, when a succession of brave substitutions enabled Mitch Brundle's 86th minute winner. That afternoon in Hampshire was one of, if not the best moment of the entire campaign, with instances of such celebration in painfully short supply throughout the course of 2019/20. It was only their eleventh away goal, the worst total in the division by four - a statistic that speaks volumes about the frustration of following the Daggers during this season. A home clash against Fylde, who hadn't tasted victory for three months, three days after the Aldershot victory presented the perfect opportunity to build momentum. Football, though, has a funny habit of not conforming to expectation and, perhaps unsurprisingly given the trajectory of Dagenham's season, things didn't go to plan. Despite a leveller from Brundle, the man of the moment who'd found a knack of being in the right place at the right time, Dagenham were beaten 2-1. The gut-wrenching winner came in the 95th minute and sent home supporters slumping to the floor in despair. However, little did they or indeed anyone know but, after the gates were locked on that bitterly-disappointing March night, they wouldn't be reopening for months. Amidst a global pandemic that dismantled every aspect of society one by one, including the sporting world, the National League was suspended indefinitely. Then, following weeks of deliberation, all remaining fixtures were cancelled and the season was immediately ended. That the final game proved to be a defeat in the 95th minute against a team winless for three months beforehand proved an apt conclusion to a campaign that mostly consisted of bitterly disappointing lows. For the Daggers, it was frustrating to see the season end just as it seemed, Fylde game aside, that they were growing better by the week. Equally gutting was the fact that the final weeks of the season, usually littered with drama and played out against a backdrop of glorious sunshine, would not come to fruition. However, all of those concerns were overshadowed in by the severity of the world crisis going on, and as a result diminished into an insignificant afterthought.
As a result, the 2019/20 season will be remembered as one of the most unusual in history. For now, the Daryl McMahon revolution is on hold and there will be a prolonged absence of football until the Daggers have an opportunity to write the wrongs of the season that has just been cut short. Until then... Ever since the Daggers tumbled back into the crazy world of non-league football in 2016, it's been a continuous flow of dramatic turbulence, with battles at both ends of the table and a financial situation that has escalated from one extreme to the other. After play-off semi-final heartbreak in 2016/17, John Still looked to forge another promotion challenge the subsequent year but saw it derailed by the departure of investor Glyn Hopkin which prompted a desperate period in our history. A mass exodus of personnel followed as the club desperately tried to plug the monetary gap, and this culminated in a 2018/19 campaign in which the sole focus was survival, as a team consisting of young, inexperienced players battled valiantly against the odds. Two months into this herculean battle to beat the drop, however, there was another twist in fortune as the takeover by an American consortium was announced, suddenly restoring life to a club seemingly devoid of optimism and hope. Within a few weeks everything had changed and, ultimately, the Daggers secured a lower mid-table finish. That brings us to 2019/20, a season where Dagenham were supposed to reignite their ambitions of returning to the Football League. A season where the Daggers were supposed to consign the traumas of the previous two years firmly to the history books, as a brighter future emerged in it's place. A season where the supporters who had persevered and given unwavering backing to their struggling team were looking forward to experiencing some joy at long last. Except, none of this happened. The Daggers supporters learned that a budget in the wrong hands was akin to no budget at all as one of the most depressing seasons imaginable unfolded before their eyes. Peter Taylor's long-overdue sacking came, very aptly, after the very last game of the decade and Daryl McMahon arrived to lead a new era, but he was unable to undo the damage perpetrated by his predecessor. In the end, what could've been a good season was sabotaged by a man who was unable to adapt to modern football and exhibited a safety-first mentality that was soul-destroying to watch. The story of 2019/20 commences well before the first ball was kicked on that scintillating summer's afternoon against Woking. It was on Good Friday in April of the previous campaign. A day when the Daggers defeated Eastleigh 2-0 was made better by a statement from Executive Chairman Peter Freund published inside the matchday programme and also on the club website, in which he declared that his mindset was ''next year we return to the Football League and we don't look back''. This, coupled with the announcement with the new badge and also the sponsorship from Nike, seemed symptomatic of a new era. This was one of two significant days prior to pre-season starting, the other being Monday 17th June. That was the day Conor Wilkinson left for Leyton Orient, disastrous news for the Daggers supporters who knew that the striker was virtually irreplaceable. Tall, pacy, skilful and potent from all angles, be it with his head or either foot, he was a one-off at this level - not recruiting a striker even half as good to fill the void was a catastrophic mistake, an appalling miscalculation. However, the statement from Freund meant excitement amongst the fanbase was still high and this was supplemented by a summer of recruitment that, on the surface, didn't appear nearly as bad as it ultimately proved to be. Several new faces joined the club as Peter Taylor openly expressed a desire for two players in each position. Of those, only Joe Quigley seemed initially to be a poor signing, with his unappealing record at a multitude of other National League clubs sparking concern. The area in which the Daggers appeared to improve the most was the middle of the park, with Mitch Brundle and Harold Odametey arriving with good pedigree from Dover Athletic and Maidenhead United respectively. Also arriving from another team in our division was right-back Andrew Eleftheriou (Braintree), wingers James Dobson (Sutton) and Bagasan Graham (Ebbsfleet), and forward Reece Grant (Aldershot). Meanwhile, Joan Luque made the switch from Concord Rangers after being scouted by Taylor for some time. Centre-backs Luke Croll and previous loanee Manny Onariase joined the club after playing for an EFL side before pitching up at Victoria Road, as did Will Wood who had featured for Accrington in 2018/19. Like Onariase, Will Wright made his loan spell permanent and he added strength to the right-back position vacated by the departing Ben Nunn, who was one of eleven players to be released in a list that also included Jack Munns, Gavin Hoyte and Tomi Adeloye. Pre-season was indifferent, most of the friendlies ending in a draw, which whet the appetite for the real thing. Finally, months of nervous anticipation made way for the eagerly-awaited curtain-raiser at home to newly-promoted Woking in the first weekend of August. However, all of that hope and optimism dissipated in a bitterly-underwhelming 90 minutes that cast misery over a gloriously sunny day. A goal seven minutes into either half did the damage for Dagenham as they slumped to a 2-0 defeat that sucked the life out of the supporters. However, the luxury of the August schedule is that the next game is never too far away and just three days later came the third consecutive evening trip to Dover, where a brilliant performance secured all three points on the English Channel. Just half a week into the new campaign and there had been two very contrasting displays, the first indication of the inconsistent spells that would plague Dagenham's season. The big question, though, was which of these performances was the real Dagenham? Was it the side who were awful against Woking, or the side that were full of attacking energy at Dover? That question seemed to have been answered a week later after two straight defeats, to Halifax and Boreham Wood. Not just cracks but gaping holes had appeared, and a number of questionable decisions from Peter Taylor led to significant supporter discontent even this early in the season. With the Daggers one down at the Shay with fifteen minutes remaining, he took off three of the better performers on the day before becoming embroiled in an angry confrontation with frustrated members of the travelling contingent after the full-time whistle. Adding salt into the wound was his comical statement in the post-match interview referencing the fact that Halifax were top of the league before kick-off, something which obviously doesn't mean much two weeks into the season but in the world of Peter Taylor seemed to justify the latest defeat. Three days later, a crushing 3-0 loss at home to Boreham Wood, with an incredible double-substitution after half an hour fuelling the fire further. The cracks had become bigger, but just like that they were papered over with an eleven-game unbeaten run that left them perched, quite unbelievably, in 5th place. It started with a fantastic triumph over Harrogate Town and spanned five weeks before an unfortunate reverse at Notts County brought the club crashing back down to earth, with victories against Yeovil, Maidenhead, Hartlepool and Sutton, plus draws to Eastleigh, Chesterfield, Bromley, Torquay, Chorley and Barnet inbetween. However, while it was a decent spell of games, it did conceal a number of problems at the time. It seemed as if Peter Taylor was happy to accept a point simply because it continued the run, and this led to a number of poor results like Chorley (H) and Chesterfield (A), two games against sides in the drop zone that Daggers ought to have beaten. Six draws may seem reasonable on paper but it's only the same as two wins and four losses, which is far less worthy of credit. This was undoubtedly where the season peaked for Dagenham, but after this peak came a rapid descent as they reverted to type. A pathetic yet not unsurprising loss at Isthmian Premier outfit Carshalton cost the Daggers a place in the first round of the FA Cup for the third year in a row, and with it a healthy sum of money. The following weekend came a much-needed win over Wrexham but it was soured by an injury to Ángelo Balanta, Daggers' best player by far and one they were significantly dependent on. He'd struck seven goals at that point and it's no coincidence that in the four-or-so months he was sidelined the Daggers managed just two measly wins.
Click HERE for Part 2, which covers the demise of Peter Taylor and the subsequent managerial appointment that yielded a long-overdue improvement in form. |
WRITERArchives
January 2024
|