Views from the Sieve

It would be naive to suggest that the flag situation and the campaign against Thommo is the sole reason for Glyn pulling out, but it couldn't have helped the situation. The whole flag situation was pathetic on the part of those involved though, they made their point and should've accepted the refund Glyn offered, rather than making more flags just because they didn't want to be seen as backing down. Having said that, Thommo doesn't help himself at all. The way he speaks to fans (some of who supported him up until the start of this season) is entirely unprofessional and completely unhelpful to the situation.

Having said that, I don't think the hard work that he puts into running the club can be doubted. But, it is clear that some awful decisions have been made at board level in the past few years. The pursue of short-term success when the takeover of Tamplin and Glyn hadn't been completed has proved to be an incorrect one. Is this because there is a worry that Stilly isn't getting any younger? There's a fine line between being ambitious and being reckless, and unfortunately, wanting to get back to the Football League instantly with the crowds we are getting has proved to put us in danger.

Moving forward, we need to be extremely cautious in whoever invests in this club next, and the people at board level that have made these decisions need to be held accountable. However, the 'fans' who have backed this childish flag campaign need to also have a long think, and question their priorities.

We need to now remember this as a reality check - we are a non-league club and will only get back to the football league through what got us there in 2007.

Very disappointing news. I am however dubious over the whole thing. The reasoning seems wishy-washy to say the least and not necessarily very becoming of a man who has built a well respected business empire.

To blame flags and lack of unity seems unfair. As a supporter of 20 years; there have been several cycles of unity and togetherness followed by the support starting to waver. I don't buy it. Glyn, you're a nice bloke and all that; clearly a good businessman; but I'd expect someone with a business empire like that to be made of sterner stuff. A few flags and a few people posting on a website is too much? Pish.

It's the club's job to get everyone together.

The club shot itself in the foot long ago in many ways, including doing everything it can to suck the life out of the atmosphere on a match day. Players respond to the crowds; but in turn the crowds respond to the players putting the effort in. Football, especially for young kids is an experience. That buzz in the air just before kick off has long gone.

All of the stuff surrounding Thommo - crock of shit IMHO. Glyn would have hopefully had the foresight to not blindly follow the words of one or a few and should have had an entire review of the club from top to bottom. Who knows? He may have even had his own people that could have come in.

The email situation hasn't helped. I don't know whether it was fake or not; but it would be worth the club considering their own action against the creator/distributor if it is fake and is a root cause of this collapse. Like I say, I don't know what's what.

Let's cut the shit for a moment, coming to the club in the late 90s was magic. The dream of league football had a United cause and everyone chased that goal. We're simply not sustainable within the football league and with the crowds and general lack of ambition, business and more worryingly commercial nous; we'll be little more than what we are for a very long time.

Who knows what comes next?

What I will say is will hopefully be a chance to clear the decks; get rid of some of the god awful shit on our books on big wages and go back to picking up gems here and there and trying to rebuild.

You know, the type of player who made an impressionable 11 year old fall in love with the club - normal blokes who stuck together and every now and then gave the big boys a shock. Nothing captures the imagination about Dagenham anymore. We don't take the league or the cups seriously and people are voting with their feet. It's dull, it's tedious and everything that's wrong with modern football.

Take me back to the old days of a burger and a bovril, a sing song and looking forward to Saturdays. THAT is the essence the club need to get back to. Forget league football, forget even conference football cos if this is the road it's taking us down, it's clearly the long road to ruin.

Sad state of affairs but not unexpected. I do not think it was necessary for a professional football club to issue an Official Club Statement to take yet another side swipe at fans. What are we talking about here about 20 or so top wack, rebel fans?
Glynn has a few other things happening in his personal and business life.
I had noticed over many years, before flags and “fake email” grumblings about our elected board and MD rightly or wrongly his attitude to fans, staff, his salary and his ability to run the club in sometimes financial secrecy.

We must all know fans who have left and never returned or never will. I suspect the statement will further alienate fans and Supporters Club. Time for the club to get fans back on the board’s side, not drive in further wedges.
Take Glynn and the new consortium out of the equation and you will find a club incurring losses over a period of time. Falling attendances we have been led to believe is only part of our income. Some people within the club should be accountable for this mess and tell us fans any mistakes they might have made and what in hindsight they could have done better.

Only my opinion but I am very disappointed with the club statement.Yes, we all wanted to know what was happening at the club but most of us had already worked that out for ourselves.

BTW well said previous 2 posters.

Clearly not good.
Are those dismissing the reasons Hopkin has given accusing him or the club of lying? Because I'm struggling to see what else they think is happening.

Has no-one considered the possibility that Hopkin and Thompson are friends and so some of the stuff that has been posted on here over the last few years about Thompson will not have helped?

It's time for some of or supporters to do some serious growing up.

Adrian wrote:Clearly not good.
Are those dismissing the reasons Hopkin has given accusing him or the club of lying? Because I'm struggling to see what else they think is happening.

Has no-one considered the possibility that Hopkin and Thompson are friends and so some of the stuff that has been posted on here over the last few years about Thompson will not have helped?

It's time for some of or supporters to do some serious growing up.

Its about time the MD grew up too............

Be interesting now to see how many vote with their feet against Aldershot. :eh:

Diggerthedog wrote:

Adrian wrote:Clearly not good.
Are those dismissing the reasons Hopkin has given accusing him or the club of lying? Because I'm struggling to see what else they think is happening.

Has no-one considered the possibility that Hopkin and Thompson are friends and so some of the stuff that has been posted on here over the last few years about Thompson will not have helped?

It's time for some of or supporters to do some serious growing up.

Its about time the MD grew up too............

And right there you have completely and irrevocably hammered home the point I'm making.
You're repeated shots at him will not do any good.

I'm sure he can be an arsehole when he wants to be.
So can I. And you have demonstrated that you can be too.

But he is not an arsehole, he is a vile pig. There is being an arsehole and being a complete see you next Tuesday. The verbal volley I took at Tranmere away was disgusting. Its ironic because that's the day I found out Glyn was jumping ship.

You're suggesting the fans should grow up, I agree but its also time for a very well paid employee to act in a professional manner. I wont be changing my opinion ever on the man and cant wait for the day for when he finally leaves.

Adrian & DTD - You're actually agreeing....

Very much the above. I genuinely think since the end of the league 1 run to atmosphere at the club has been very different.

Agreed we are not sustainable on the money we are paying with the gates we receive.

Saw an interview with Darragh McAnthony recently which spoke volumes.

Said he was talking to players from the Conference South, who were asking 2-3k a week.
Went back to the time he signed Mackail-Smith, Blackett and Griffiths stated that players then would do anything they could to play league football, now its all money.

Unfortunately that is the way football is moving.

Hopefully this will serve as a reminder of what we as a club used to be, signing players from lower levels with the potential of moving them on.

As much as the signings this summer looked good, kind of reminded me of Garry Hill's window when we signed established conference players like the Pipers, Meechan and Braithwaite.

If The MD was the problem to the fans, and the reason why a major benefactor decided to walk away, why then didn't he resign for the good of the club

daggerChris wrote:Very much the above. I genuinely think since the end of the league 1 run to atmosphere at the club has been very different.

Agreed we are not sustainable on the money we are paying with the gates we receive.

Saw an interview with Darragh McAnthony recently which spoke volumes.

Said he was talking to players from the Conference South, who were asking 2-3k a week.
Went back to the time he signed Mackail-Smith, Blackett and Griffiths stated that players then would do anything they could to play league football, now its all money.

Unfortunately that is the way football is moving.

Hopefully this will serve as a reminder of what we as a club used to be, signing players from lower levels with the potential of moving them on.

As much as the signings this summer looked good, kind of reminded me of Garry Hill's window when we signed established conference players like the Pipers, Meechan and Braithwaite.

I spoke to a solihull director and he said his players were on about £400-£600 per week. Shocking.

Fecking is I wouldn’t get out of bed for that!

Most League 2 players are on a lot less than £2k a week before bonuses
That's why a lot of non League players who also have day jobs don't accept offers from League 1 or 2 clubs
It's not till you get to the Championship that salaries jump to mad levels