2023: How did we get here

[NBDag]

Given the current lack of positivity at the club, both on and off the pitch it’s maybe worth looking at what has happened in 2023 so far leading up to this point. A rough timeline of the big happenings are below:

- On EFL deadline day Josh Walker is sold to Burton for what was a well deserved move up for him, the money is used to replace him well with Inih Effiong.
- Three days later Paul McCallum is then loaned to play-off chasing Chesterfield weakening our attacking depth.
- Later on in February Daryl McMahon is sacked after over a year of underachieving with the players he has. His premature contract extension is seemingly paid out.
- Two weeks later Ben Strevens is hired, allegedly on a low salary + high bonus deal to help push results.
- Five days later Junior Morias is then sold to Notts County, with no replacement brought in.
- The remainder of the season and our outside chance of playoffs fades under Strevens with 12 points, 3 wins, and 8 goals scored in his 10 games in charge. It seems clear to all during this time that the resources given to Strevens were purely to just get through the remainder of the season. Not to push ourselves to compete.
- Following the last game of the season, Peter Freund released a statement highlighting his disappointment in the season, his support of Strevens and his commitment to taking a new approach to the club to deliver playoff football (or better yet automatic promotion). Comments also on making Victoria Rd an intimidating fortress.
- A summer of more departures follows. Balanta, McCallum, Sagaf, Robinson out the door. Justham only extending his contract with us because one of our biggest rivals were close to going bust.
- Season ticket prices and ticket prices are announced as going up.
- New players start to come in, with a clear lack of goals in the squad not being addressed. Squad size is then also clearly reduced for this season despite injury prone nature of some players signed/retained.
- Todd Johnson joins the club as Exec Vice-Chairman. With intentions to improve the commercial and comms side of the club. Which has had a noticeable improvement in quality but what feels like little financial benefit.
- Stanchions are then erected in the sieve to support a new tv gantry required for West Ham Ladies, which block out views of the pitch for most fans. This is only partially rectified after countless fans complain on social media, with the blame seemingly put on West Ham. Despite it being our stadium. (I know this doesn’t effect our players but what does it show about decisions at the club?)
- Online highlights show that new TV gantry has a worse view of the pitch than before, with scaffolding obstructing camera-side angles of the pitch.
- A slow but expected start to the season worsened by a tragic and unforeseeable health scare to Effiong. His absence then really exposes how non-existent our goal threat is.
- Three loan players brought in. Including one who is not good enough and another is sent to prison after maybe 3 weeks at the club.
- Owners say they recognise the lack of goal threat in the team but will not be held to ransom by potential players. Emphasis that they want to sign players who fit the mould and want to be here (like the lad now in prison). They go on to sign a striker who was holding us to ransom since the summer.
- Owners call out fans on social media for criticising the lack of backing given to Strevens. With comments even mocking a fan for not having the money to run the club for 5 minutes, as if that makes his opinion invalid.
- Meanwhile the club go 4 consecutive matches without scoring. A run that then evolves to 7 matches without a win. 3 games lost from a winning position.
- During this run, at Aldershot Todd Johnson sits down with some away fans for a drink and asked them what can be done to improve the atmosphere at the club… Well intended yes, we all want to see this happen. But does it really need to be spelled out to him?
- Dagenham now sit 19th in the table with 13 goals scored after 14 matches. With 2 experienced strikers vs the 4 we started the year with.

Ultimately, the quality of football under Strevs has definitely improved this season in our own half. But the forwards are not showing the same level of quality. Yes this may be different with Effiong back, but as the above shows the lack of goals has been there since March and the squad’s size is leaving us horribly exposed to key injuries. Why is this happening? Because the club’s leaders do not know how to deliver on their words. They constantly make mistakes around the club. They say one thing, and then do the opposite. Even when we do something positive like creating Johnson’s position, it seems like we don’t see any real benefit from it. Did we bring him in just to ask fans questions? I don’t know if it’s Thommo, Johnson, or Freund himself behind this, but that’s where the blame needs to lay. Not Strevens. They need to sort out how the club is being run, so Strevs can get the backing he needs and keep us in the league.

[len]

I totally agree with your assessment of what has been happening over the last six months or so and feel sorry for Ben Strevens because with a bit more backing I think he could be a success in managing a successful team here.

[A S dagger97]

If we go down, what do the owners do then?They always talk about getting us back into the EFL, We are closer to going the opposite way than we were when they came in and promotion is further away than ever, especially with the current budget and lack of investment. Is that target still in their best interest and are they happy to stick it out with us knowing how hard its becoming to achieve?

[stanton101]

I can understand cutting back after the MacMahon debacle but to literally cut back to the bare minimum and expect things to soldier on is a recipe for disaster. The jury with Ben is still out as would be the case with any new manager, but when the hands are tied, it will inevitably transfer itself on to the pitch.
I would love to know what the end game is, do they want success or are they happy to just sit back and hope for the best.
Running a football club at any level today is not a money making venture, clubs up and down the country face extinction on a weekly basis, very few if any actually make a profit. In terms of size we are a relatively small club, we're never going to be a Man City or the like but we can be a success albeit on a much smaller scale if run properly.
No one expects the owners to keep shelling out their money, but come on people what's the plan.

[IanC]

Gotta say the pies are nice, enjoy one before game.
And Todd said about the pop up bar for the terrace lot!
So how long does it take to put one up for christ sake!
On the footie front pay peanuts ya get etc etc, the budget is simply not good enough for the level we want to be at,

[SUSSEX DAGGER]

Give you the answer. Survival in the Natational league first prority .

The team will be recruited on that basis and if we are fortunate to recruit a team good enough to get promoted it will be done on a budget that is sustainanable
Five years ago it was something everybody signed upto as we were on the bones of our arse. The call was at least we still have a Club.

Whats changed

[SUSSEX DAGGER]

Gotta say the pies are nice, enjoy one before game.
And Todd said about the pop up bar for the terrace lot!
So how long does it take to put one up for christ sake!
On the footie front pay peanuts ya get etc etc, the budget is simply not good enough for the level we want to be at,

Talking about catering. Notice the new laws about the use of plastic in takeaway food have not been applied at The Daggers.

Dont know what the Clubs legal obligations are to ensure that these new laws are applied, but clearly they are not

[Diggerthedog]

If we go down, what do the owners do then?They always talk about getting us back into the EFL, We are closer to going the opposite way than we were when they came in and promotion is further away than ever, especially with the current budget and lack of investment. Is that target still in their best interest and are they happy to stick it out with us knowing how hard its becoming to achieve?

We were 100% getting relegated before they came in that season, not too sure that’s the case right now.

I guess they want to see what Strevs can do with a smaller budget before throwing tons of cash at him like they did with McMahon. They’re still propping the club by hundreds of thousands of pounds per season, the previous model wasn’t working.

Todd has already brought in several ideas, been to an handful of games already was there last night and put some of them ideas into place already, he is ready to listen so please do contact him with your grievances. Best part of him being brought in is all ideas through him and not via Kim.

The manager had a budget and needs to improve results quickly, there are teams above us with similar or smaller budgets so there can’t be easy excuses just because he was a player for us. We’re not a bad side but lack something.

[RayleighDagger1986]

If we go down, what do the owners do then?They always talk about getting us back into the EFL, We are closer to going the opposite way than we were when they came in and promotion is further away than ever, especially with the current budget and lack of investment. Is that target still in their best interest and are they happy to stick it out with us knowing how hard its becoming to achieve?

We were 100% getting relegated before they came in that season, not too sure that’s the case right now.

I guess they want to see what Strevs can do with a smaller budget before throwing tons of cash at him like they did with McMahon. They’re still propping the club by hundreds of thousands of pounds per season, the previous model wasn’t working.

Todd has already brought in several ideas, been to an handful of games already was there last night and put some of them ideas into place already, he is ready to listen so please do contact him with your grievances. Best part of him being brought in is all ideas through him and not via Kim.

The manager had a budget and needs to improve results quickly, there are teams above us with similar or smaller budgets so there can’t be easy excuses just because he was a player for us. We’re not a bad side but lack something.

A forward perhaps

[Diggerthedog]

Just signed one, 1 goal in 3 so far looks very good.

[RayleighDagger1986]

If you are referring to Sears, he is not the answer. We are still missing another quality forward and wide player to link up with Hill

[Dagthat44]

Given the current lack of positivity at the club, both on and off the pitch it’s maybe worth looking at what has happened in 2023 so far leading up to this point. A rough timeline of the big happenings are below:

- On EFL deadline day Josh Walker is sold to Burton for what was a well deserved move up for him, the money is used to replace him well with Inih Effiong.
- Three days later Paul McCallum is then loaned to play-off chasing Chesterfield weakening our attacking depth.
- Later on in February Daryl McMahon is sacked after over a year of underachieving with the players he has. His premature contract extension is seemingly paid out.
- Two weeks later Ben Strevens is hired, allegedly on a low salary + high bonus deal to help push results.
- Five days later Junior Morias is then sold to Notts County, with no replacement brought in.
- The remainder of the season and our outside chance of playoffs fades under Strevens with 12 points, 3 wins, and 8 goals scored in his 10 games in charge. It seems clear to all during this time that the resources given to Strevens were purely to just get through the remainder of the season. Not to push ourselves to compete.
- Following the last game of the season, Peter Freund released a statement highlighting his disappointment in the season, his support of Strevens and his commitment to taking a new approach to the club to deliver playoff football (or better yet automatic promotion). Comments also on making Victoria Rd an intimidating fortress.
- A summer of more departures follows. Balanta, McCallum, Sagaf, Robinson out the door. Justham only extending his contract with us because one of our biggest rivals were close to going bust.
- Season ticket prices and ticket prices are announced as going up.
- New players start to come in, with a clear lack of goals in the squad not being addressed. Squad size is then also clearly reduced for this season despite injury prone nature of some players signed/retained.
- Todd Johnson joins the club as Exec Vice-Chairman. With intentions to improve the commercial and comms side of the club. Which has had a noticeable improvement in quality but what feels like little financial benefit.
- Stanchions are then erected in the sieve to support a new tv gantry required for West Ham Ladies, which block out views of the pitch for most fans. This is only partially rectified after countless fans complain on social media, with the blame seemingly put on West Ham. Despite it being our stadium. (I know this doesn’t effect our players but what does it show about decisions at the club?)
- Online highlights show that new TV gantry has a worse view of the pitch than before, with scaffolding obstructing camera-side angles of the pitch.
- A slow but expected start to the season worsened by a tragic and unforeseeable health scare to Effiong. His absence then really exposes how non-existent our goal threat is.
- Three loan players brought in. Including one who is not good enough and another is sent to prison after maybe 3 weeks at the club.
- Owners say they recognise the lack of goal threat in the team but will not be held to ransom by potential players. Emphasis that they want to sign players who fit the mould and want to be here (like the lad now in prison). They go on to sign a striker who was holding us to ransom since the summer.
- Owners call out fans on social media for criticising the lack of backing given to Strevens. With comments even mocking a fan for not having the money to run the club for 5 minutes, as if that makes his opinion invalid.
- Meanwhile the club go 4 consecutive matches without scoring. A run that then evolves to 7 matches without a win. 3 games lost from a winning position.
- During this run, at Aldershot Todd Johnson sits down with some away fans for a drink and asked them what can be done to improve the atmosphere at the club… Well intended yes, we all want to see this happen. But does it really need to be spelled out to him?
- Dagenham now sit 19th in the table with 13 goals scored after 14 matches. With 2 experienced strikers vs the 4 we started the year with.

Ultimately, the quality of football under Strevs has definitely improved this season in our own half. But the forwards are not showing the same level of quality. Yes this may be different with Effiong back, but as the above shows the lack of goals has been there since March and the squad’s size is leaving us horribly exposed to key injuries. Why is this happening? Because the club’s leaders do not know how to deliver on their words. They constantly make mistakes around the club. They say one thing, and then do the opposite. Even when we do something positive like creating Johnson’s position, it seems like we don’t see any real benefit from it. Did we bring him in just to ask fans questions? I don’t know if it’s Thommo, Johnson, or Freund himself behind this, but that’s where the blame needs to lay. Not Strevens. They need to sort out how the club is being run, so Strevs can get the backing he needs and keep us in the league.

Ultimately one man signed these players, one man picks his side, one man gives the team talk. Look at Barnet, Bromley, Gateshead, Altrincham - similar budgets but recruitment was shrude. Ultimately a lot of this falls onto Strevs.

[BB-Dagger]

Sussex your right, single use plastics are now banned and the caterers were issuing polystyrene cups and plastic forks with obviously a total disregard to the new laws, I presume that as the ground is regarded as private property they must think it doesn’t count inside the stadium.
On the subject of the team though I can think of a few who I would like to be single use!!

[Diggerthedog]

Barnet and Bromley signed players we couldn’t afford, we lost out on players to the likes of Boreham Wood and Aldershot so I think that tells you everything you need to know about the budget.

[Diggerthedog]

If you are referring to Sears, he is not the answer. We are still missing another quality forward and wide player to link up with Hill

Oh so now you want a new winger, what about a new contra back and goalie. Sears is very good, hits the target could have easily had a couple more. Effiong is the other missing experienced striker we have, both up top should be decent foil for this level.