If they hadn't already, Dagenham & Redbridge fans have finally consigned themselves to the dreaded relegation we had all feared, following the league's latest set of results. Our time as a Football League Club, a League 2 club, and, more importantly, a professional club, is coming to a horrific end which unfortunately will taint 24 wonderful years of existence.
And if there's one image that epitomises the season so far, it's the one of fans in a heated exchange with Wayne Burnett who had to justify himself and his team after a shocking 2-0 exit to Southport in the FA Cup first round replay on 18th November 2014. That wasn't this season, but that fateful night in Merseyside led to a hideous chain of events which ultimately cost him his job and seemingly will cost us all of the above. As the crucial part of the season arrives and the fear of relegation hits home, teams around us are beginning to play with some spirit and endeavour, grinding out points however they can. Yet we haven't had a game for almost three weeks for various reasons, so as I and no doubt many other concerned fans witnessed heard results elsewhere go against us, there was an overriding feeling of sheer powerlessness. We missed out on the Easter fixtures, a quick-fire opportunity to pick up back-to-back wins to generate some-much needed momentum. We also lost our fixture on April 2 as our opposition Oxford were in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy Final, although that fixture was brought back to an early date where we were beaten 4-0. Good Friday saw Stevenage somehow collect an unlikely draw at high-flying Oxford United, while York City also managed a point and Hartlepool picked up all three with 1-0 success over Wimbledon. Three days later and Hartlepool again gained a victory, beating Orient 2-0 away from home. Elsewhere, York City suffered a 3-2 loss to Plymouth but, like us, Stevenage didn't play due to International callups. There was another full fixturelist on Saturday 2nd April when York drew with Orient, Stevenage recorded a victory at Luton and Hartlepool edged out Mansfield. Another disappointing set of results from our perspective. All of this, combined with our difficult set of fixtures and the fact we are well adrift anyway, means our misery could be compounded and the tears we wanted to prolong could happen as early as Tuesday when we entertain Morecambe at Victoria Road. Dagenham & Redbridge will be relegated on Tuesday if they fail to beat Morecambe and Stevenage defeat Yeovil. Anything otherwise will only be a stay of execution that prolongs the agony. - just put us out of our misery already. The worst possible end to a season of misery and disappointment.
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May 2024
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