Dagenham's summer recruitment strategy over the past few years has hinged on large rebuilds encompassing a big influx of new signings and a high turnover of players. It's therefore refreshing to see a new approach being adopted this time around, especially as the current squad seems settled and genuinely capable of extending it's good form from the back end of last season into the new one.We've supplemented that existing core with two new additions to date: forward Josh Walker and returning full-back Sam Ling. It could be argued that we're still short in a few areas, most prominently left wing-back and central defence, but Daryl McMahon has reiterated on several occasions his desire to oversee a smaller, more manageable squad. The commencement of our pre-season friendly programme will offer the opportunity to assess a number of trialists, one or two of whom may do enough to earn a deal. There have also been three well-publicised targets that we've reportedly tried, and unfortunately failed, to lure to the club. Boreham Wood pipped us to the signing of left-back Jacob Mendy, while two previous loanees opted to move elsewhere rather than return to Victoria Road on a permanent basis: Abu Ogogo and Saidou Khan. Both of those hurt to some degree but the latter, in particular, leaves a very bitter taste. After his campaign with parent club Maidstone was curtailed due to an untenable funding situation within the North and South feeder divisions, we gave Khan the platform to showcase his ability at the highest level he had ever played at, in a move that supposedly suited his lifestyle 'perfectly'. His gesture of appreciation is then to snub our contract offer, which would have certainly not be paltry, and join a fellow side in our division, from whom there wouldn't have even been interest had it not been for an exceptional performance against them in a Dagenham shirt. That's naturally a source of immense frustration but is part and parcel of the sport; no doubt we've been on the opposite side of the equation in the past. It does leave us lacking a powerhouse-type midfielder who can penetrate an opposition defensive line with determined runs from deep, but we have several weeks to identify a target who would fit the bill. McMahon may even decide that we have enough midfield options already, irrespective of Khan's decision to decline our offer, as Jones, Phipps, Rance, Robinson, Sagaf and Vilhete can all play there. Are the Daggers good enough to mount a challenge?Our Balanta-McCallum forward pairing is an impressive one by any metric. Our manager's assertion that they're the best number 10 and 9 respectively across the entire division, though influenced by natural bias, isn't an unreasonable one. However, when you look elsewhere in the division, what emerges is the rather sobering realisation that it is merely one of many superb strikeforces amongst a vast plethora of sides that have all invested heavily to fuel the dream of reaching the Football League. Stockport, the title favourites, have Madden, Quigley and Reid in that position. Fellow free-spenders Chesterfield possess Rowe and Asante in their armoury. Notts County are in capable hands with Wootton and Rodrigues spearheading their frontline. Then there's Solihull, with man-mountain Hudlin alongside Rooney, and Hollywood-owned Wrexham, whose attack consists of Angus and Hyde. Every single one of those could conceivably fire the necessary goals to propel their teams to promotion. It's a similar story when you evaluate the Daggers in every other department. On a surface level, we seem respectably stocked in the goalkeeper, defender and midfielder areas. We're undoubtedly good enough to reach the upper echelons of the table this time around, the top third of the division as an absolute minimum, but there are countless others who will think the same and only two will ultimately fulfil their ambitions. Stability and continuity is what will enhance our prospects of being part of the lucky couple. We've had a quieter summer than most and our starting eleven for the curtain-raiser against Stockport won't be too dissimilar to the one that rounded off the last campaign. Hopefully, while others are gelling and finding their feet, we can pick up where we left off, resuming the near-flawless form that ensured we finished strongly. Sometimes less is more, and that's certainly McMahon's philosophy this summer.
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As enticing opening-day fixtures go at this level, there are few that will whet the appetite this year as much as our trip to Stockport County, which will pit two well-fancied, financially-backed sides against one another for what promises to be a pulsating showdown. Our last trip there produced a thrilling encounter and one of our best performances in many months, encapsulating the rapid progress made by Daryl McMahon's side throughout the latter stages of the campaign. Stockport enjoyed a similar streak of form at the time and, following their eventual play-off heartbreak, will be desperate to get off and running quickly, but they'll also know that a far from straightforward proposition awaits them. Knowing our opponents for August 21st intensifies the need for a strong start, as anything less than a blistering performance in Greater Manchester will surely mean we suffer defeat in the campaign's curtain-raiser for a third year in succession. Conversely, though, we have the opportunity to catch them cold before their impressive squad has the chance to gel together in a fluid fashion. A win there, and the statement it would signify early doors, would be massive. DAGGERS' OPENING
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2020/21 - FC HALIFAX TOWN 2-0 DAGGERS ⚽
2019/20 - DAGGERS 0-2 WOKING ⚽ 2018/19 - BOREHAM WOOD 1-0 DAGGERS ⚽ 2017/18 - DAGGERS 2-1 BARROW AFC ⚽ 2016/17 - DAGGERS 3-0 SOUTHPORT ⚽ 2015/16 - PORTSMOUTH 3-0 DAGGERS ⚽ 2014/15 - DAGGERS 0-3 MORECAMBE ⚽ |
2013/14 - FLEETWOOD TOWN 3-1 DAGGERS ⚽
2012/13 - CHELTENHAM TOWN 2-0 DAGGERS ⚽ 2011/12 - MACCLESFIELD TOWN 0-1 DAGGERS ⚽ 2010/11 - SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY 2-0 DAGGERS ⚽ 2009/10 - CREWE ALEXANDRA 2-1 DAGGERS ⚽ 2008/09 - DAGGERS 6-0 CHESTER ⚽ 2007/08 - STOCKPORT COUNTY 1-0 DAGGERS ⚽ |
Then comes an tasty-looking Bank Holiday trip across the underground to Barnet which will no doubt draw a healthy away attendance. It's certainly a date in the calendar to eagerly look forward to, as is the renewal of our rivalry with Southend, which takes place across weekends in October and March. It was a surprise that the Shrimpers didn't become our Festive double-header as many of us expected, and instead we'll be going to Dover on Boxing Day again.
Far from ideal, but nothing compared to the inconvenience of Tuesday nights in Halifax and Weymouth which we also have to contend with. Many were also disappointed to discover that Torquay away falls in January, hardly the month most conducive to a day by the seaside, although that was counteracted by the fact that we have the weekend date in Notts County that everybody wanted.
Just as we have Dover away on Boxing Day again, we also finish against Wrexham for the second season running, and hopefully we'll have more to play for this time than merely scuppering their play-off hopes. Interestingly, the 2021/22 National League will conclude on a Sunday rather than the now-conventional Saturday early/late kick-off.
The key fixtures
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FIRST GAME | Stockport County (A)
SECOND GAME | Bromley (H) AUGUST BANK HOLIDAY | Barnet (A) BOXING DAY | Dover Athletic (A) 28TH DECEMBER | Aldershot Town (H) |
NEW YEAR'S | Dover Athletic (H)
GOOD FRIDAY | Barnet (H) EASTER MONDAY | Aldershot Town (A) MAY BANK HOLIDAY | Torquay United (H) FINAL TWO | Solihull Moors (A), Wrexham AFC (H) |
Our first ever season in the Football League began with an away game at Edgeley Park. Hopefully, the season we secure our return there will too.
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