2011/2012 Top Twelve Performances.

After a long break due to studying and other projects I'm back to give my annual top twelve performances of the year from the 2011/2012 season. Whilst the Daggers enjoyed a largely torrid year, there were some very good displays in the season that deserve to be noted - if you disagree with any of my choices feel free to drop a comment below.

1. Bradford City 0-1 Dagenham & Redbridge, 20th August 2011.
This was one of the games that I missed off of my list from last season, however from the Daggers Player commentary and reviews from people that were present at Valley Parade - I'm assured that it was one of our most complete performances of the season. Jon Nurse prodded home the winner 27 minutes in following a scramble in the box. It should have been more but Gavin Tomlin & Damien Scannell both spurned golden chances when in good positions, it moved the away side up to 5th position in the league.

2. Dagenham & Redbridge 3-0 Barnet, 26th December 2011.

Just over four months after my first pick comes the victory over Barnet on Boxing Day where Brian Woodall & a Cristian Montano double sealed the points in a dominant performance for the home side. A bumper crowd was present as the Daggers won their first game since the 1st of October in a result that lifted us out of the then bottom three on goal difference - Woodall's diving header being the pick of a very good bunch.

3. Dagenham & Redbridge 2-1 Gillingham, 30th December 2011.
John Still's men ended the year in style by picking up another three points on a cold Friday night against Gillingham - a game which saw Billy Bingham score his first senior goal, albeit deflected. There was a superb atmosphere in the ground as 1200 Gills fans packed into the then Marcus James Stand to witness their side take the lead through Danny Kedwell who took advantage of a Chris Lewington error. Bingham's screamer got the home side back into the game before Woodall netted his second in as many games to clinch the victory with just 25 minutes left thanks to a superb curling effort.

4. Southend United 1-1 Dagenham & Redbridge, 2nd January 2012.
765 Daggers supporters made the trip to the seaside in the first fixture of 2012 as the Daggers put in what would probably be their best performance of the year. A high on confidence Brian Woodall partnered Montano up front whilst the experienced Kevin Maher would continue to marshal the midfield. Despite good early pressure from the away side it was the real travellers that took the lead as Michael Timlin powered home an exquisite volley just before the break.

The Daggers continued to dominant long into the second half despite the presence of the bumbling Geohaghan, but try as they might the away side just couldn't breakthrough as a Billy Bingham strike went just over. With just three minutes left to play though, talisman Bingham arced a ball through beautifully for Woodall who advanced forward before powering the ball home into the far corner past Daniels to send the 765 in the away end into absolute delirium - to this day I think that it's the most I've celebrated a goal, mainly due to how much it was deserved. That was also Woodall’s third goal over the Christmas period and one of his best performances to date.

5. Dagenham & Redbridge 3-2 Rotherham United, 28th January 2012.

Whilst this may not have been a vintage performance, it was an excellent result that propelled the home side back out of the relegation places. Danny Harrison who has a knack of scoring against us opened the lead, but that was cancelled out by Jon Nurse on 50 minutes. As the game began to become end to end, Abu Ogogo's shot deflected off of Mark Bradley to give the Daggers the lead for the first time in the match, just a minute later though and Revell netted to make it 2-2.

With 78 minutes gone in the encounter, the game was won as Scott Doe nipped in at the first post to glance a header into the top corner akin to the one he scored at the Don Valley back in September. Not only was this a morale boosting victory comparable in more than one way to the Play Off Final, it was also the start off the trademark Doe front post goal which would be prominent throughout the rest of the campaign.

6. Morecambe 1-2 Dagenham & Redbridge, 28th February 2012.
This is the second game on our list where I wasn't present due to it being a Tuesday night match, once again though it was an excellent performance and a deserved Daggers victory. A total of 66 ardent Daggers made the trip up to the North West to witness Medy Elito launch the away side into a stunning lead inside the first 15 minutes as he curled an effort around Barry Roche. Within another 15 minutes though and the Shrimps were level as Kevin Ellison fired his own curler around stand in 'keeper Jonathan Bond.

The Daggers didn't give up though and with Medy Elito playing in a more central role we always looked like the bigger threat and it showed on 76 minutes as Josh Scott thundered in a magnificent near post header to wrap up the first three points for a whole month. That was also Scott's fifth goal against Morecambe since he joined Dagenham and what an important one it may well have turned out to be.

7. Barnet 2-2 Dagenham & Redbridge, 20th March 2012.

It's well documented that in this fixture the away side rarely comes away with a win, however the Daggers nearly upset that record in a dominant display at Underhill on a frosty Tuesday night. Mickey Spillane opened the scoring on 25 minutes when he looped in a fine header and it should have been doubled two minutes later but somehow John Akinde contrived to hit first the bar and then the post as the scoreline remained 1-1. As is the way in football, Izale McLeod then went up the other end and showed Akinde how to do it by chipping the ball delightfully over Lewington to send hushed tones around the Daggers section of terracing.

Following a sustained period of Daggers pressure throughout the first & second half where Josh Parker was a focal point, it was the away side who netted once again as Scott Doe thundered home a header at the back post this time to send the 351 travelling faithful into raptures. As the Daggers looked to find a deserved third, Ben May picked up the ball and launched a speculative 50 yard lob that found Chris Lewington wandering as it hit the back of the net. No one could quite believe what they had just seen, not least Lewington who wanted the ground to swallow him whole – 2 points dropped rather than one gained in many cases.

8. Dagenham & Redbridge 2-1 Accrington Stanley, 24th March 2012.
This was the result that really underlined our survival bid, which really gave us a fighting chance of retaining our league status - having been giving the newly named TB Stand we were also able to create some worthwhile noise for a change as well. Following a slow opening half an hour it was Accy that opened the scoring on 43 minutes when Bobby Grant fired into the far corner with a shot which gave Lewington no chance.

As echoes of our defeat in Lancashire earlier in the season began to come back to me and our Football League life appeared to be slipping away, Mickey Spillane crossed the ball to the back post where Woodall powered home the header to make the scoreline 1-1 with just five minutes to play - credit should also go to McCrory here who supplied Spillane with the original ball.

As the game ebbed into injury time Nsiala got a very late early bath as Stuart Attwell sent him off for violent conduct. From Medy Elito’s resulting free kick Scott Doe was on hand to head home at the back post - cue wild celebrations that nearly saw me nearly fall down the stand itself. Emotion was running high and not least with Scott Doe who looked overjoyed at netting the winner that saw the Daggers move out of the relegation zone for the umpteenth time. (Video owned by BBC.)

9. Port Vale 0-1 Dagenham & Redbridge, 31st March 2012.
I attended the game at Vale Park and from what I remember I was very disappointed with the team John Still fielded originally as it looked too defensive - this is probably a reason why he's a manager and I'm not. A tight first half saw minimal chances with Medy Elito clipping the post just about 5 minutes before the break, as we advanced into the second 45 someone would appear to turn up the heat in deepest darkest Burlsem.

With 65 minutes played Damien McCrory’s free kick found Mickey Spillane who was on hand to head the ball home between the hands of Tomlinson and give the Daggers an unexpected lead (from my point of view at least.) Just as it looked like we had the game sewn up, substitute Charlie Wassmer gave away a penalty which certainly increased the tension. As Marc Richards stepped up to take the penalty, we all prayed to the gods....and it seemed like they heeded us as Chris Lewington dived the right way to keep out the spot kick to ensure a vital Daggers victory.

This would have to go down in my top three matches of the season personally; an overall great day and a result that I feel personified the survival push. Not just that but the above picture is one of my all time favourites connected to Dagenham & Redbridge.

10. Gillingham 1-2 Dagenham & Redbridge, 9th April 2012.
A windy and wet football match on an open terrace is the way we all like to spend our Easter isn't it? Well 313 Daggers agree with me (and a few more who were stranded on trains) as we witnessed another fantastic performance that allowed the Daggers to get fear of vertigo we climbed so high in the table!

It was another match the Daggers dominated and took the lead in as Woodall scrambled home the opener before Rowan Vine curled in an equaliser not long into the second half. With 20 minutes to go and John Still not heeding my warning of leaving Dom Green on the bench, said player went on a mazy run before finishing it off with a spectacular shot that crept under Gazzaniga - another reason why I'm not a manager then. Back to back away victories combined with other results meant the Daggers were virtually safe from relegation.

11. Dagenham & Redbridge 1-1 Crawley Town, 21st April 2012.
The Daggers finally made sure they were mathematically safe thanks to a convincing draw with promotion chasing Crawley Town – unfortunately though no fat boy Evans. A slow first half saw Charlie Wassmer do the twist by netting the opening goal, coming back to haunt the home side following his loan spell at Victoria Road a month previous. Just before the close of the first half Bingham rifled in a spectacular equaliser from outside of the box that was later voted the goal of the season.

The second half never really got going in truth and the best chance fell to John Akinde, who as you can guess made a complete hash of it, slamming it over the bar from close range. The TB Stand remained full for long after the final whistle as the home side assured themselves of league football once again next season - a fine effort from all involved in our "mini 10 game season" from which we hadn’t lost a single so far.

12. Dagenham & Redbridge 4-0 Bristol Rovers, 5th May 2012.
For once the Daggers went into the final game of the season not needing a result meaning that everyone was calm and there was no pressure on the players. Rovers started the better when Harrold struck the bar, but from then on in it was all Dagenham, specifically Brian Woodall who opened the scoring with a well executed volley where he had to adjust his body to connect with it correctly.

 Into the second half and Woodall doubled his tally by firing between debutant Gough's legs impressively; not long after and DJ Green got in on the act, some neat footwork in the box being rounded off with a composed finished to make it 3-0. The day and in fact the match ball though belonged to Woodall who finished the game off by firing a low drive into the far corner of the net to cement his Daggers Scale award as the most improved player of the season. (Video property of the BBC.)

That concludes my review of my top twelve games of the season and I hope as usual you’ve enjoyed reading. I may return with another couple of Blogs before the pre season starts, but until then, have a good Summer internet folk!

Watford 2-1 Barnsley, Away from the Daggers.

Watford defeated Barnsley 2-1 with two superb John Eustace goals in a game which the hornets dominated from start to finish. Regular viewers will probably ask why I'm not doing a Dagenham & Redbridge report. Simple answer is, the Daggers match away at Morecambe was postponed due to a frozen pitch on Friday afternoon, meaning I had to find another game to entertain myself. As Watford were the only accessible home game in London and it was a ground neither myself, Billy, Charlie or Matt had ticked off; it was the obvious option.
 

Several trains from Chadwell Heath, Stratford, Bank & Euston meant we arrived at Watford High Street Station at around 14:20 where it was absolutely freezing. A short five minute walk down a crowded road and we were at Vicarage Road where we picked up our tickets, after a hunt for the ticket office; before finally getting through the automated turnstiles just before kickoff. A brief hunt around as to which way to go and we found ourselves moving to the right, which lead us straight through into the stadium complex.

The Rookery Stand.

First impressions, a very nice ground, bar the far side which was effectively abandoned. I assume this is due to safety concerns as it houses the old style terracing which is probably not considered safe anymore. The main stand (our one), looked fantastic and particularly modern which gave it a nice edge. The Rookery Stand to the right of us is where the vocal Watford supporters sit and it was largely filled up which gave the ground a decent atmosphere. It is akin to the Kop, but on a smaller level, still a very nice stand.

The final stand is the Vicarage Road Stand, as you may have guessed, it is situated along Vicarage Road. It houses both the away fans and a section of home supporters, from what I could tell the majority of the home support here was rather young. It is quite large and also gave a good atmosphere. As you may guess all of the used area's are under cover meaning the whole ground is enclosed, however if it was to rain in a particular direction you would get soaked.

Our view was magnificent, four rows up from the bottom in the dead centre of the pitch meant we had a panoramic view of the action. The teams came out dead on 15:00 to good applause and a rendition of Z Cars playing, coincidentally my favourite song that a team comes out too.

The teams were as follows,

Watford: Loach, Hodson, Mariappa, Doyley, Nosworthy, Eustace, Kacaniklic, Murray, Hogg, Deeney, Garner. Subs: Bond, Dickinson, Yeates, Bauben, Iwelumo.

Watford were infact completely unchanged from the side that defeated Millwall at The Den on Tuesday evening. Not only was the starting eleven the same, the substitutes were as well, something that I've rarely seen doing this Blog.

Barnsley: Steele, Edwards, Foster, Wiseman, McNulty, Done, Perkins, Smith, Tonge, Davies, Gray. Subs: Preece, Hassell, Golbourne, Doyle, Dagnall. 

Barnsley were also unchanged regarding the starting eleven after defeating promotion chasing Derby County at Oakwell during the week. Their only change was on the substitutes bench, where Noble Lazarus who holds the record for the youngest ever player to play in the Football League at 15 years and 45 days, was replaced by new signing from Exeter City, Scott Golbourne. Their other main signing, Stephen Dawson from Leyton Orient, was not fit so he will have to wait at least another week to make his debut for Keith Hills mid table side.

We were off at a freezing Vicarage Road, described as an "Ice Box" later in the day on the Football League Show. The opening phase of the game was very drab, with both sides finding their feet and their level. Watford were attempting to play some neat, on the floor football, but the final pass let them down on a couple of occasions in the early stages. Just before the ten minute mark and the first shot of the game was mustered by former Walsall man Troy Deeney. His effort from 20 yards out was well blocked Craig Davies to avert the danger.

Just before the 15 minute mark in the game, Watford came dangerously close to breaking the deadlock. The ball came in from the left hand side, but Joe Garner completely fluffed his lines, meaning the ball ran outside the box to an unmarked Nyron Nosworthy, formerly of Sunderland. He spotted an on running John Eustace and dually played the ball into his path. Eustace ran onto it and unleashed a right foot shot that just curled around the near post, an attempt that definitely gave visiting keeper Luke Steele a fright.

We then endured a lull in play, until Jim McNulty got himself into the referee's notebook for a poor challenge on Lee Hodson inside the Barnsley half. From the resulting free kick Alex Kacanikilic tried his luck; however his speculative effort went over the bar and out of play for a goal kick. Watford were dominating in this contest, but were as yet unable to find that all important breakthrough. Barnsley then managed to get away their first attempt of the match. An out swinging corner from Michael Tonge eventually found its way to Rob Edwards, whose unmarked header was saved comfortably by England Under 21 'keeper Scott Loach.



Match Action & Cringey Ball Boy Jacket.

 As with these sorts of games, the team that does all the attacking usually concedes first on the break away. But not today. Watford took a deserved lead on 32 minutes. Sean Murray’s free kick was deflected into the path of John Eustace in the Barnsley penalty area. Eustace was facing away from goal, but tried his luck with an acrobatic effort which found its way past Steele, off the post into the back of the net. An absolutely superb strike from Eustace, saw two & a half sides of Vicarage Road celebrate, myself included. Not only were Watford leading, I now had some feeling back in the lower part of my body.

After this I then decided to try the cuisine at Watford. After a leap across several seats we made our way up into the "teabar" area, where we only encountered a short cue. First thing, Watford are the only club I've ever seen offer haribo! I decided to have a hot dog that was priced at £3.20, it was of good quality although it was a little on the small side. Reports from the rest were that the Chicken Balti pies were good, as were the sausage rolls. As this was happening we also witnessed a yellow card for Michael Tonge after he made a rough challenge on Kacaniklic. That is possibly the worst name to have when you're trying to Blog!



Your resident Blogger at Vicarage Road.

 That was the last action of the first half in essence and Watford went into the break a goal to the good. One player whom I was particularly impressed with, but I haven't mentioned was Jonathan Hogg. He was doing the dirty work for Watford, making the tackles and really running the show. Not only that, but some bloke sitting two rows behind us was like his motivational speaker, he just didn't shut up about him! We were then treated to something that we will never see the likes of at Dagenham. Soccer Saturday on the Scoreboard! The main good news was that Plymouth were losing to Southend which helped our relegation endeavours.

As the teams came back out for the second half and I began to lose all feeling due to the cold, Keith Hill decided to make his first substitution of the match. Prolific striker Chris Dagnall, formerly of Hill's old side Rochdale; came on for the somewhat ineffective Matty Done. Near enough straight from the kick off and yet another yellow card was shown, once again to a Barnsley player. Stephen Foster made a mistimed challenge on Troy Deeney who couldn’t make himself vanish quick enough. Yellow card to Foster.



Match Action.

 Much like the first half, the game restarted at a very slow pace, with only some good Watford wing play brightening up the dreary spectacle. Keith Hill then decided to make his second change of the afternoon, with the introduction of new signing Scott Golbourne for the tiring Michael Tongue, as Barnsley pushed for an equaliser. The hornets then managed to get their first shot of the half away, a Sean Murray effort going over the bar, not troubling the scoreboard operator in the slightest.

Troy Deeney then should have really got his name on the scoresheet, and doubled the lead. An inswinging cross from the right hand side found Deeney unmarked about six yards from goal. All he seemingly had to do was position the ball into the back of the net, but he completely misjudged it, furthermore he ended up skying the ball over the bar. A fantastic opportunity wasted, but would it come back to haunt Sean Dyche's men later in the match?

The referee was then into his pocket once more as he gave Hogg a yellow card, Watford's first booking of the match for "petulance", as I like to call it. Keith Hill then made his third and final change of the afternoon as the Tyke's looked to become more attacking. Jim McNulty was replaced by pacey Derbyshire born midfield Nathan Doyle who could perhaps cause a new threat down the flanks.

However, it was not to be and just minutes after the change Watford seemingly put the game out of sight. A throw on the far side from Lloyd Doyley, found Joe Garner inside the box. Garner held off a Tyke's defender before succumbing to another who headed the ball straight into Eustace's path. Eustace got the ball, ran straight through the defence, before slotting home a neat right foot finish to all but seal the Watford victory. That was the captain's fifth of the season after yet more good combination play between himself & Garner.

Sean Dyche then finally made his first change of the afternoon; bringing off Alex Kacaniklic, who had played an exceptional game, causing various problems as well as being a threat from set pieces. He was replaced by Ghanaian midfielder Prince Bauben, who has previously won the Scottish Cup with Dundee United. Shortly after the change, both Troy Deeney & Lee Hodson shot over the bar as the Hornets looked to further increase their lead.

Yet more Watford pressure looked as though it would herald another goal for the home side. However, Barnsley weren't finished yet and with just over five minutes remaining, they gave their 522 supporters a glimmer of hope. Craig Davies delivered a ball into the box following a poor Watford clearance. The ball in, was nodded on by a Watford defender to the on rushing Scott Golbourne making his debut. The 23 year old made no mistake and side footed a first time shot into the far corner to make the score 2-1 and set up a frantic finale.

As you may expect, the Watford fans were now getting on their teams back whenever they didn't have the ball, but they did just about hang on. The only thing of note being a late scrap towards the end, involving both sets of players, this was triggered by a clash between Foster & Garner. The final score was 2-1, a deserved Watford victory in a very mediocre mid table affair.

Players that impressed me from Watford were Eustace obviously, with two exquisite finishes, as well as Hogg who continuously got stuck in and really drove the Hornets to victory. A rather enjoyable day at Vicarage Road as most football fans sat at home after their game was called off. Another ground ticked off, moreover I may consider watching a couple of more games at Watford if I can't make a Daggers match. On top of that there was a really friendly atmosphere around the ground.

As for the Daggers, Plymouth resurrected their old habit of scoring in the dying seconds, not once, but twice, to deny Southend. An unexpected point for the Pilgrims which hots up the fight for survival in League Two. Next up for us is a vital six pointer at home to Northampton Town next week, and remember its kids for a quid so let’s try and get a bumper attendance at Victoria Road for that one.

Watford face a trip to Nottingham Forest next Saturday, whilst Barnsley are at home to in form Birmingham City.

Thanks for reading and remember to follow me on Twitter, @NickDRFCMurphy.

The Vicarage Road Stand.

The League Awaits !

After a terrible away cup draw, once again an away game, but this time against Bournemouth rather than the usual folk that we play, we'll brighten you all up and take a look at five of the games you won't want to miss this season.

First off is the inevitable one, Crawley Town. The main reason of course is Steve Evans, he returns to Victoria Road and will receive a "welcome", I think that's the best way to put it. Having never been forgotten for his Boston antics, he still has one hell of an attitude and is a man no one in the Football League likes, but even less welcome at Victoria Road than anyone else. There are also a number of other sub plots, the fact that he's signing our "old stock" so to speak. They have captured former Daggers striker Wesley Thomas who is being paid exorbitant amounts of money to rival Matt Tubbs, but then there's John Akinde. John Akinde is sure to be a bench warmer there in my opinion and it was a silly move if he wants to be playing on a regular basis but the pay packet probably doesn't lie. The other sub plot is that of Crawley physio Mark Stein. A former Dagenham & Redbridge player, he is now their physio and it will be curious what kind of reaction he gets from our fans should he make an appearance treating an injury. Both the home & away games will be spectacular I'm sure with some fireworks at both. The last meeting between the two teams was a 0-0 at the Broadfield Stadium in 2007 season, but I'm confident there will be a lot more goals this time around.

The next is Barnet, considered by many as the main derby game this season. This one has always been hard to predict, with a defeat usually coming at Underhill in recent times and more positive results at Viccy Road. Former Dagenham & Redbridge captain Anwar Uddin now plys his trade for the Bees in North London so that's one to watch out for. This is usually our League Two derby and it's definitely one of the favourites in the fixture list. The usual thrill of a soggy day on the Underhill terracing is what being a Dagger is about and lets not forget the football played on the pitch. It's difficult to tell where both sides will be in the league but depending on what time of the season this is played, it could mean a whole lot more. You'd guess Barnet will once again be scrapping with relegation whilst the Daggers could be anywhere, up the top I'd prefer, but it's a real possibility to be at the bottom or in the middle. The last time we faced eachother was at Victoria Road in 2010, the Daggers coming away with a convincing 4-1 victory, the pick of the goals from Josh Scott, let's hope he can provide the ammunition again this time around.

Shrewsbury Town is a game that I'll be looking for, it always provides goals or has something at stake. The heartache of the 2008/2009 season is still something people look back on when they pipped us to the play offs to further increase the rivalry. Not to be outdone, we decided to get them back at the start of the 2009/2011, winning in a 5-0 rout, 4 of which were scored by Paul Benson who had been approached by them in the Summer. This year it may once again mean something and the rivalry is stronger than ever, both teams have won by 5 goals to nil in recent times and I wouldn't bet against it happening again. Click Here To See The Daggers Spank Shrewsbury 5-0 On This Link.

Southend United , a derby game that has never really had any intensity, mainly because we haven't played them in the League. Various cup meetings & friendly meetings have seen both teams come out on top a couple of times, the most memorable the 5-2 defeat at Roots Hall where Tony Roberts got sent off. It's one to watch out for, a derby game that has real potential and it's by the seaside so if we get fed up of the football, we can take a long walk off an even longer pier!

Finally it is the one, the only, Morecambe. Possibly the best game of the season, because it's a friendly rivalry. Last season was the first season in quite a while we hadn't played eachother, and I certainly missed them. The everlasting memory of Morecambe will of course be the Play Off Semi Finals, two games that will forever live in both the clubs histories. Whether it was the 6-0 drubbing we gave them at home or the fitting end to Christie Park, a David Artell winner to send the Shrimps out in glory & happiness. This is a club much like our own in so many ways and a trip to the Globe Arena should be good fun, but whatever the results with Morecambe our affinity with them will never dwindle. A great club with great fans and a fitting way to end this blog.

Also look out for the other cup draws where we'll inevitably get MK Dons in at least one and whoever is leading League One in the other.

Thanks for reading this shortish Blog as we've been a bit short of material and I look forward to seeing who we get on the opening day tomorrow!

The Daggers Player Review Part 2.

This is the second part of the Dagenham & Redbridge player review for the 2010/2011 season. So far we've gone down to squad number 15 of Damien Scannell so we'll continue from there, as well as with some of the players that enjoyed a brief loan spell at Victoria Road.

16. Bas Savage- Bas Savage, either a hero or a villain. There was his inability to the head the ball against players of a much shorter height then there was the moonwalk when he scored, however due to the lack of goals he scored we only saw it 3 times. Brought in on a free he was a part time solution to the striker problem, but never really looked up to the task. His work ethic and holding up the ball along with his very good skill for a gangly striker was extremely good, but in the goalscoring department was never the answer. His short stay brought to an end being released last week, a player that I'll be sad to see go in a quirky kind of way.

17. Darren Currie- It's hard to sum up Curries season in all honesty. Not a regular starter, but when he has come on he has been a very good player, a good impact player at this level. Some good trickery and the ability to swing in a deadly cross, also a very good mentor for the younger players at the club. A good season for him, playing a more intricate role this season, the games he's started he's performed well in, the game against Huddersfield sticking in my mind as one of his best. Scoring his first goal in 13 odd years against Walsall another highlight perhaps, a superb diving header. A player that will play a more vital role next season in my opinion.

18. Solomon Taiwo- Solomon Taiwo, another one hard to define. Having joined back on loan at Victoria Road in late October from Cardiff where he never really got it going, he's played quite a big role in the midfield. His ability to pick out a pass and ping a ball so well across the field an attribute that he gave us, as well as the threat of a fierce strike into the top corner. My fondest memory was his equaliser against Orient in the cup that sent us in to raptures, a real Dagger, just a shame that an injury at Swindon kept him out for a while when he could have been vital. A player I would hope we can re sign for next season but with Cardiffs ongoing situation, who knows where he'll end up.

19. Abu Ogogo- Abu is Mr consistent. Very rarely can you say he's had a bad game and vary rarely is he actually talked about, always going about his business at right back like a true professional. Capable of putting in crunching tackles and tracking back with his speed, a real asset to the back line. He can be a bit rash at times but usually tracks back and avenges his mistake. A very good player who I don't really have any bad words for.

20. Romain Vincelot- Dagenham & Redbridge player of the season. The converted right back who has not missed a game in the league this season. Simply amazing, he embodies everything a Dagger should have. When the chips are down he lifts the spirits, he makes that crunching tackle, he doesn't give up no matter what. With no end of energy and his amazing heading ability he has been a star. The goals he has this season are a sheer reflection of what he's done, the header at Colchester, the strike against Huddersfield my pick of the bunch. Very rarely will he have a bad game and if he is here next season it would be an honour, he is such a good player and deserves everything he gets in football, lets just hope he can guide us back to League One before anything else happens.

21. Danny J Green- A player that I first saw in the Essex Senior Cup and he looked very good then. He has come into the team making a number of substitute appearances towards the back end of the season and looking very lively. Plenty of skill about him and a lot of energy in a place where we need a solid and consistent player. I have no doubt that with work over pre season he will be a starter next season in the team and a major contributor.

24. Billy Bingham- Another youngster that has bucket loads of promise about him. Billy has started more and more games as he's been at Victoria Road and this year has been no different. Good performances against Southampton and Brentford in New Year a highlight, he was thrown in slightly at the deep end and looked fairly poor against Swindon but he's young and he will become a very good player for us. He is a player that I personally have a lot of time for as he's waited his turn, sat on the bench and hasn't been outspoken, his time will come in the middle, maybe as early as next season.

29. Femi Ilesanmi- I don't have a clue what to say about Femi in all honesty. I'm not his biggest fan as I'm sure you know, but considering everything he has done pretty remarkable. Coming in against Oldham shocked everyone even though McCrory was having a shocker. He looked fairly decent up until New Year then it all deserted him in my opinion. Caught out weekly, looked shaky and played the wrong pass, it finally showed when he was replaced against Huddersfield by McCrory. After an injury to the Irishman he came back in again and looked fairly solid once more before aggravating me and ending up in a bad rut of form. He is really a player that you make your own decision about, he has a bright future with a lot of work and he's a player I'd like to see prove me and other doubters wrong in the future.

30. Chris Lewington- After Robbo goes we're left with a bright young keeper who has showed a lot of promise this season. After being called in against Southampton, possibly the most daunting game of the season it was understandable that he was a bit shaky and he was caught out a couple of times by Oxlade Chamberlain but looked ok overall. Against Orient he looked very good, a couple of top draw saves but suffered from the same thing as Robbo, not being able to kick a ball straight. Six games overall this season and it looks like we have a replacement for Robbo when he does eventually retire, where others have fell short such as Ed Thompson & Dave Hogan we finally have a contender for the number one jersey.

31. Phil Walsh- The best personality in the team after rallying the sieve against Notts County, footballing wise I don't have a clue where he stands. A loan spell at Barnet where he scored 3 times broadened his horizons, but didn't feature in a forward role back at Victoria Road. He was deployed as a central defender, to a lot of peoples amazement. However he has been kept for next season so he must be in John Still's plans, I would personally like to see him start a game up front, but John Still doesn't agree, he see's more than we do so whatever he chooses to do we'll just have to agree, after all he see's what happens in training; not us.

33. Peter Gain- Another player that has real determination and the heart of a Dagger. Always gives his all and despite a mid season blip regained his form excellently to play a vital role towards the end of the season. Sometimes he goes in slightly to rash, but that's what we love about Gainy, he's a nutter, one of the loudest voices and toughest figures, but reduced to tears against Peterborough on the last day. A player that doesn't get nearly enough credit for his work and will be a key, key feature next season.

35. Oliver Lee- A bright youngster who came to us in late March on loan from West Ham. The ability to pick out a good pass and excellent awareness of the game two of his best features, always keen to have a shot when possible as well. I personally would have liked to have seen him feature more, he was hungry and up for the fight but was reduced to a place on the bench in many instances. A very bright young player who with the right guidance will go on to have a good career and I wish him all the best.

37. Cameron Lancaster- A spurs loanee who never really got to grips with life at the Daggers. He wasn't really given a chance to showcase his abilities, whatever they were, reduced to substitute appearances whenever he was called upon. His ability to persistently give away fouls and a dreadful free kick against Tranmere Rovers perhaps summing up his unfortunate and short loan spell. A nice person to talk to though and had a nice bit of pace about him, good luck to him in the future as well.

39. Marvin Morgan- A player that will probably draw a divided opinion amongst fans. His work ethic and willingness was all there and for a while, the alternation between himself & Bas seemed to work alongside Jon Nurse. However he will forever be remembered to Daggers fans for a costly miss against Leyton Orient which would have made it 2-0. You can argue it's wrong to remember a player like that, but in my eyes it's how I'll remember him. Other than that he had a decent start to the spell, playing regularly with us getting results, after the Orient game he was dropped for basically the rest of the season. Good luck to wherever you head off next Marvin, personally I wouldn't put it past Crawley making a move for him.

08. Kayleden Brown- Despite only making three appearances for the Daggers, Brown made a decent impact in his time, picking up a couple of assists, most notably against Carlisle United. I would have liked to have seen more of him but the harsh winter didn't really give any loan players a chance.

37. Medy Elito- It was a tale of two stories for "Magic Medy Elito" in his time with us. Away from home, a fantastic player, at home he failed to shine in all honesty and that's the real tail of the tape. He scored a coupel of vital goals away from home including one on his debut against Yeovil Town, but at home he never really got into the game. However given enough time he could have become a good player for us, he has been released this Summer and a lot of people, including myself feel if we could get him, he could be a very good acquisition.

23. Stuart Lewis- An ill fated spell at Victoria Road in which he only played 10 games, the last being possibly the worst of the season, a 2-0 reverse against MK Dons. A fall out with John Still resulted in him being loaned out to Wycombe for the rest of the season and I very much doubt he will make a return. He done ok from what I can remember, he got stuck in, but wasn't anything special.

14. Victor Palsson- A loan signing from Liverpool who I can only remember against Leyton Orient really, never really got a fair slice of the action because of the harsh winter once more. He looked strong and appeared to have a good shot on him, a lot of people believe he's got a bright future and I hope he does too.

Thanks for reading the second part of the player blog if slightly late, we might have another special for you next week, if not, we'll see you next time!

The Daggers Player Review Part One.

A review of every player that's pulled on a Dagenham & Redbridge top this season, whether it was a loan or for just 3 or 4 games, you'll have my opinion on them! We also have the players that left, this is just the first part, the second will follow soon.

1. Tony Roberts- The man, the legend. Tony Roberts the 41 year old stalwart in the Daggers goal has had perhaps his best season in a Daggers top on the biggest stage he's played for us. Having kept us in so many games this season and missing just two or three through injury he has been phenomenal and would be in contention for my player of the year. The best save in my opinion was against Bristol Rovers from point blank range. However he can improve on his. poor kicking, but then again that and his amazing banter with home and away fans is a trademark of the player we know and love. A Daggers legend, lets hope he continues into next season. Robbo's reaction to Sheffield Wednesday draw.


3. Damien McCrory- The Irish has had a bit of a topsy turvy season to say the least. Starting off in the team up until November, after the Leyton Orient defeat in the Cup, he was dropped not to return until a replacement against Huddersfield in February for Femi. Just when it looked as though he had his spot back, he picked up an injury, which meant a return for the rest of the season for Femi. Not all was lost, he scored his first Daggers goal in August against MK Dons and earned a call up to The Republic Of Ireland Under 21's. One of my favourite players, I and others wonder whether it would be better for him in left midfield next season.

4. Scott Doe- One of the players of the season, reflected in the clubs player of the season vote where he finished in the top 3. A trademark of his game his his amazing ability to make last ditch tackles which has been tested on many occasions this season. A strong player who will be sorely missed should leave during the Summer, he doesn't get enough credit in my opinion. One thing to improve on is perhaps the use of his weaker foot, renowned for clearing the ball with just one foot in a weird motion.

5. Will Antwi- Big Will Antwi. He's been stuck with a season largely on the bench although when he's needed he's been fairly consistent. Coming in for his first start this season he marked it with a goal in a 3-1 win away at Yeovil in November. He then disappeared for the rest of the season, coming in again as Scott Doe injured himself against Plymouth. A strong player who does need to work on how to shield a football as shown at Huddersfield and how to judge a ball coming down from the air. If Doe leaves he will become a key player for us next season, no doubt.

6. Mark Arber- A captain who leads by example. He never shys away from a challenge and will put his head in with the biggest of them for the cause. Always close with his marking and a worthy captain of Victoria Road, maybe just a little more speaking is needed, but on the whole has been an amazing player for us, especially this season, very consistent in the centre of the defence. Down to Earth as shown on his Twitter and the tears at Peterborough only emphasise the Dagger that he is.

7. Danny Green- This man does not get the credit he deserves. Expected to perform every game, if he doesn't some fans jump on his back without fail. But, without Greeny we would be deep in the mire this season, his ability to carve out crosses and chances is second to none. His crossing is amazing, from the tightest of angles, whether it's in mid air or beating two opponents, he's capable of it. With 12 assists in the league and 10 goals, he's been a major player in our season and I can only hope that if he is reading this that you stay next season Greeny. A true fans favourite who will always go in full blooded, if a bit rash at times, if we keep him next season, I wouldn't put it past an immediate return to the third tier.

8. John Akinde- On loan from Bristol City from early January he didn't make his first appearance until the start of April against Exeter after a Hernia operation. A lot of weight on his back and for the preparation he had, done pretty well in all honesty. His penalty winning appeal is second to none, getting four for us this season and bagging two goals in 9 games has been a pretty big influence in our end of season run in. He does however need to improve on the one on ones, a number that he missed could have made a significant difference in the final standings. Now at Crawley, I wish him all the best, despite the club he's joining!

9. Jon Nurse- The real fans favourite. His sheer determination and energy is applauded from 3 sides of the ground and has turned into a key player for us after January. A slow start where he was limited to substitute appearances, John Still started him quite a bit after the New Year and become our main striker. Doubles against Brentford, Carlisle and other vital goals against Charlton & Swindon were key. A brilliant player, forever a legend for the goal at Wembley, I'm not the only one that thinks a Nurse/Scott partnership will do us the world of good next season.

10. Josh Scott- A bad season, by no fault of his own I have to stress. A decent start to the season, where he was unlucky against Notts County in particular, hitting a shot against the post before we lost 1-0. He lost his place after the 3-0 defeat against Bristol Rovers and never really regained it due to various reasons. A few substitute appearances before arriving back on the scene against Southampton on January 3rd. A great header that did in the end prove to be a consolation, it's a shame, if it wasn't for his blood clot, he would have played a major part in the season. A bigger loss than Benno perhaps, I can't wait to see him back next season.

11. Gavin Tomlin- A bit if a false dawn in truth. In pre season he looked great, scoring a very good goal against Norwich. His trickery was always seen in every game he played, but never really had that goal scoring prowess that we needed. Two goals and a number of bench places up until April, saw him shifted on loan to League Two Torquay, where he predictably started banging them in weekly, I wish him all the luck for the Play Off Final. Another one I would like to see next season, however he may choose to stay at Torquay, if he can find his shooting boots for us, a he will become a key player.

12. Phil Ifil- A player that was perhaps brought in at the deep end. A replacement for Abu Ogogo for when injured, Ifil never really lived up to any expectations, however, I'm not sure what those expectations were. From his first game against Bournemouth to the final day against Peterborough, when called upon he was effectively torn apart. I have to say, he has great ability to ping a ball though. You can defend him, and I will because Abu was a class above and coming into a team like that must be very difficult but he was simply not up to the task. A player that I am glad to see released.

14. Paul Benson- He did play for us at the start of the season, he didn't really shine, but should always be remembered as a Daggers legend. The tears he shed against Tranmere at the end will always be the memory of him for me this season. Cheers Benno.

14. Victor Palsson- The Icelandic midfielder on loan from Liverpool never really got a chance to shine in all fairness. His first game against Orient in the cup, he looked decent with a good bit of strength about him, but the he was reduced to the bench afterwards with the return of Solly Taiwo. The harsh Winter really stopped him playing a more vital role, we didn't even get to witness one of his free kicks.

15. Damien Scannell- A player that never really got a run of games, however when he did he wasn't consistent enough. His most vital contribution was the strike against Swindon Town, he may well be a starter next season depending on comings & goings. A powerful shot on him and a decent cross, he was fairly average for us, but popped up with some good stuff.

That concludes the first part of the player reviews, the second part will be posted either on Sunday or Monday. We will also have another fan interview tomorrow on the separate blog. Thanks for reading!

The Rise Of Non League

If you look into the Championship, League One & League Two you would be astounded at just how far some of the former Conference clubs have come since the Millenium and that is testament to the Conference and just what a tough league it has been to get out of in the last 10 years or so. With the possibility of AFC Wimbledon coming up today we'll take a look at the fortunes of other clubs that have come up from the top tier of the non league pyramid.

Yeovil Town, promoted as Champions, 2002/2003 season.

A real success story is Yeovil Town, in their conference winning season they romped to the league title, 17 points ahead of 2nd placed Morecambe who went into the first ever Conference Play Offs in 2003. They maintained an unblemished home record throughout the season with rousing wins against Southport & Burton Albion helping them along the way. That squad also had a number of players that went on to play in the Premier League such as Gavin Williams & Lee Johnson.

 Their first season in the football league culminated in them finishing a very respectable 8th and getting to the 4th round of the FA Cup, where they were knocked out against Liverpool. Just one season later they finished as League Two winners, clinching promotion to League One on the final day courtesy of a 3-0 win at Huish Park at Lincoln City to see them mixing it with the likes of Nottingham Forest the next season. With their first season in the 3rd tier they finished in 15th place, avoiding relegation by a margin of 6 points, a good run in April which saw wins against Doncaster, Huddersfield & Gillingham making sure of safety. The next season resulted in yet another great season, reaching the League One play offs after two wins in the last two games against Doncaster once more & Rotherham United, where they would face favourites Nottingham Forest. The first leg did not go to plan, losing 2-0 at Huish Park, but an astonishing comeback at the City Ground ended in a 5-2 aggregate win that shocked everyone, they went to face Blackpool in the final. A brave performance in front of 59,000 at the Wembley Stadium saw them lose 2-0 to the Seasiders who went on to bigger and better things. It was a season to be proud of for the Glovers and the 30,000 that made the London trip.

Since then they've had various tiffs with relegation, the following season they finished a lowly 18th and then they came even closer to the trap door with 17th place finish in 08/09 season, where they finished 2 points above the drop. Russell Slade vacated the Huish Park hot seat in February of that season and was replaced with player manager Terry Skiverton who led them to safety. This season they once again flirted with relegation but a strong finish ensured them no final day nightmares and they secured their status once more, where they will face teams such as Sheffield United next season.

I won't add Doncaster in as they had been members of the football league previously, but their remarkable rise from Conference Play Off winners in 2002/2003 to now being a Championship club is something to be very proud of, especially as their manager has been wanted by various clubs. If they get into the play offs next season it wouldn't surprise me, a good honest club who deserve anything they get.

Accrington Stanley, Conference Champions, 2005/2006

Accrington Stanley, who are they? Well in this Conference season they were heard by not perhaps the world but English football. Stanley finished the 2005-2006 Conference season as runaway champions, ending up 11th points clear of Hereford United, winning the league at a canter. John Coleman had led Stanley from the Northern Premier Division One to the Football League, another reason why stability is ever so important at every club, Coleman is currently the the 3rd longest serving manager in England, having joined the Crown Ground outfit in 1999. They have seen numerous players come through their ranks, the most notable possibly current Blackpool striker Brett Ormerod who signed for the Seasiders from Accrington for £50,000 in 1997. Since going back into the league, Stanley have not dropped out since, although they have had various scrapes with relegation and the odd flirt with promotion.

In their very first football league season, then finished a very respectable 20th, avoiding relegation by an impressive 14 points, albeit Boston had been deducted 10 points, but no one likes Boston so I couldn't care less. Season on season they have steadily progressed up the table, with 17th, 16th & 15th placed finishes, maintaining league status season on season is the main aim for teams such as Accrington and this season has been a special one for them. A bit of a slow start to the season with two successive draws, but their season really kicked off with a 7-4 victory over Gillingham in October. The forte of their success however was their impressive home form towards the end of the season, winning their last 10 home games, scoring 3 or more in 9 of them. Simply amazing form which led the side to an astonishing place in the play offs where they went out to Stevenage. However it was an amazing effort this season, one that everyone inside the club was proud of and even outside of the club, Accrington are a club that go against all the odds to achieve, and they're testament to what stable management can do.

Dagenham & Redbridge, Conference Champions, 2006/2007


Danny Shipp (back)



My club, Dagenham & Redbridge formed in 1992 because of a merger from Redbridge Forest & Dagenham FC have come right up the non league pyramid. The meteoric rise has seen us go from the Ismithian League up to League One & eventually back to League Two. The Conference winning year was a special one, with Oxford United expecting to stroll the league, outsiders Dagenham gave them a shock and a half to eventually romp to victory by 14 points. The Boston fiasco in 2002 denied the Daggers promotion and then a season later they were left to rue what might have been once more after losing the Conference Play Off Final to Doncaster Rovers 3-2, with the infamous golden goal, possibly the worst thing ever invented in football. A few mid table finishes saw the end of Gary Hill reign, even more so after Hereford embarrassed us live on Sky, losing 0-9 at home to the Edgar Street outfit in 2004.

 In came John Still, a former manager who was hoping to lead the club back to more top half pushes and after a magnificent 2006/2007 season that's exactly what we got, a 2-2 draw at Oxford in late March effectively confirmed the inevitable. It was confirmed after a 2-1 victory over Aldershot Town in front of 4044 spectators, a Dave Rainford penalty being the difference. We ended the Conference on a win as well, a 2-1 win against Gravesend & Northfleet. That season showed the emergence of Paul Benson as a top quality striker, the formidable partnership of Benson & Mackail Smith had been broken up following CMS's move to Peterborough for £200,000 in January, but Benson continued to shine and took the Conference golden boot.

The first football league season was a nervy one, only preserving our status on the penultimate game, a 3-2 win at Darlington after being 2-0 down, a magnificent achievement which condemned Mansfield to the trap door, ironically we would play eachother on the final day. A couple of the major games in that season other than Darlo was of course, the first win, a 1-0 victory against Lincoln City which got the football league ball rolling! However the highlights for me were, the 4-1 win against Blundell Park against Grimsby Town, the Mariners never ever looked the same to me and of course the 2-0 victory away at Bradford, to see thousands of Bradford fans leaving early has never looked so sweet! Sandwiched in was the 6-0 victory at home to Chester which was another amazing day.

The following season we missed out on the play offs by a single point to Shrewsbury Town following a final day defeat, but it was a season to be tremendously proud of. A team expected to be fighting for their lives had once more punched far above their weight and had been unlucky at the final hurdle, this followed with a mass exodus with players leaving for higher up clubs.

The following season saw the best there has ever been for a Dagger. The arrival of Danny Green, Josh Scott, Scott Doe & Abu Ogogo to name just a few saw the Daggers have a new look about them. A great start at Crewe set the standard for the season, with great wins and consistent form leading to us grabbing a play off place on the last day at Darlington, a 2-0 victory with goals from Jon Nurse & Josh Scott. Step forward Morecambe in the Semi Finals, a club who we had always shared fortunes with, beating them in the 2003 play off Semi & coming up with them.

 The first leg was phenominal, a 6-0 win which shocked everyone and sent the Daggers into overdrive, book those Wembley tickets! We lost the second leg, but got to Wembley where we beat Rotherham United 3-2 to advance into League One, a pulsating much that had everyone in tears at the end, an unbelievable achievement for a club that was odds on to go down at the start of the season. Just being in League One was unbelievable for everyone concerned and taking it down to the final day was another reason to be immensely proud, a terrific season that ended in relegation at the last, but wins against Charlton & Swindon just showed how far a little non league team can come. Just how far you can challenge and with the right management and players and belief you can actually do.

Morecambe, Conference Play Off Winners, 2006/2007

Morecambe enjoyed a good season in 2006/2007, reaching the play off finals after finishing 3rd in the league with a last day victory against Grays Athletic. In the semi final Sammy McIlroy led them to a 2-1 aggregate win over York City, both goals coming in the 2nd leg at Christie Park in front of an amazing 5567 spectators. This led them to the final where they were to face Exeter City at Wembley Stadium. It didn't all go to plan, Exeter taking the lead in the first 10 minutes, but the Shrimps fought  back to win the game 2-1 and march on into the Football League, cue unbridled joy from their supporters, football league for the first time. In their first season, it was relatively comfortable, not near the relegation zone, a good run in November 2007 saw them only 3 points outside of the play off places, an extraordinary feat.

 They did continue on and finished slap bang in the middle of everything, 18 points from a play off place and 18 points from the relegation zone, a very successful first Football League season, finishing in 11th place, a top half position. The following season was once again a mid table one, ending up once more in 11th place but with an improvement of 3 points on last season to make it 63 points from 46 games. They were establishing themselves as a league club very well, proving to be a stern test, particularly at home.

The following season would be the best in their history. A slow start didn't help them, with just 3 wins in the opening three months of the season, things looked bleak, by the end of October they were just 4 points from the drop zone. However unlike a lot of teams would do, the Shrimps kept faith with the man at the helm and McIlroy repaid them with a strong second half to the season. They went unbeaten at home from the start of February through to the end of the season which was a vital reason as to why they secured a play off place and their highest ever finish of 4th, missing out on automatic promotion by 9 points and getting into the play offs by 3 points, a very tight season.

They would face Dagenham & Redbridge in a tricky tie of two old foes with a lot of mutual respect. As I said previously the Daggers won 6-0 at Victoria Road, but credit to the Morecambe fans they kept on singing after every goal that went in. Back at the final ever game at Christie Park, Morecambe restored some of their pride, winning 2-1 with a David Artell winner in the 91st minute. A fitting end to Chrsitie Park as both teams invaded the pitch celebrating come the final whistle, great scenes. The true reflection of their fabulous season was their finishing position, an amazing achievement and one that they can be immensely proud of.

The following season however was not so good, a poor start once more, but this time they did not generally pick up, the highlight of their season possibly the win against runaway leaders Chesterfield. The Globe Arena wasn't as much of a fortress as some thought it may have been and it culminated in Sammy McIlroy being sacked at the end of the season and Jim Bentley being appointed.

These clubs all have made a relative name for themselves in the league, and they all have something in common, they have generally stuck with their manager. It shows what sticking with your manager and consistency can do.

It also shows the consistency of the Conference, the clubs that are now coming through it, other clubs have come up for the first time and made a name for themselves. Look at Wycombe Wanderers previously and Stevenage now, testament to how good the non league is these days. For example, take a look at how many formerly established league teams go into the non league now, plenty. This season, Lincoln City & Stockport County, although County isn't a prime example. Kidderminster Harriers, Rushden & Diamonds, York City, Cambridge United, Grimsby Town, Mansfield Town & Wrexham, all former league teams that have been unable to come back up.

I hope you've enjoyed this as I sit down and watch the penalties from the City Of Manchester Stadium, I say thank you for reading and I'll be back with an interview tomorrow. They've just won, add AFC Wimbledon, the biggest fairytale of all time to your book.
What an achievement, what a team, and well done to Terry Browns men.