Views from the Sieve

RIP Ted Hardy

https://www.daggers.co.uk/news/-MNhfj_RrOoUeqax5Uiv

I can’t find the right words just now, but condolences to family, friends and all who knew him.

Very very sad day for our club,Ted will always be an absolute daggers legend!!
And what a lovely man to boot. Enjoyed many a chat with Ted,total class.RIP Ted true legend

A true Daggers legend.

The side he put together and took to Wembley was the foundation on which we got promoted from the Rymans and the backbone of the side that enjoyed so much success in the conference and FA Cup.

Rest in peace Ted.

Very very sad news.

A huge part of this club and many of the club's forerunners, and a hugely popular character across the whole non-league scene.

Am only old enough to remember his spell with the current club, but even after retiring he was a constant presence at home games for so long and had time for everyone.

The 97 semi-final second leg and replay remain to this day as two of my favourite ever occasions and it wouldn't have happened without Ted.

Best wishes and condolences to all of Ted's family and friends at this time.

RIP Ted

What you did for Dagenham in the late 60s/70s should never be forgotten or underestimated
And what you subsequently achieved with the Club in later years was equally impressive
An absolute colossus of the non league game and a Daggers legend

So many memories of LIFC and Daggers.

I think what is making this a million times worse is the one person who would be sharing the news with me isn’t here either

I hope Ted meets up with Dave Simpson and they are sharing memories of some great times.

Really sad news, an undisputed legend of non league football and the Daggers in particular.

Would echo what Dashers said above, that Trophy run was absolutely brilliant and some of my fondest memories. Thank you Ted.

Came back in 96 and saved us with a team that should never have stayed up, let alone challenged at the top. That trophy run was so much fun and I loved the teams he put together.

A true great. RIP Ted

Thank you for all your lovely comments about my Dad, Ted Hardy. What a character ! So many people who knew him have phoned me today. Ted would have been very happy. Im very proud to be his daughter.

I was in my early teens when I first started to go to Victoria road and Ted was in his first spell as the manager then, always had time to talk to us kids after games and encouraged us onto the pitch at the end of games after us spending an entire game having a kick around on the old mud slope that is now the away stand, more recently (7 years ago) when I spent match day in the lounge at half time I had a chat and spent time reminiscing with him and Dennis Moore about those days, a sad sad day in the history of Dagenham & Redbridge FC with the loss of the clubs father figure, lovely man. RIP Ted

Sad news, we've lost a few this year. Incredible longevity and a legend of the amateur game

What a sad day for our club.

Ted Hardy was Mr Dagenham, an absolute legendary figure within Victoria Road, who not only saved the club from dropping drop down the leagues in 96, but amazingly took us to Wembley, just 12 months after stepping into an absolutely dire situation.

John Still was the one who completed our dream of making it to the EFL, but make no mistake about it, Ted Hardy was the one who started that journey, and handed the club over to his successor, in a million percent better shape, than he had found it.

Thanks Ted, for fulfilling the dreams of a generation of Daggers fans, who had never seen us play at Wembley, and RIP Daggers Legend.

COYD.

I am lucky enough to remember Ted as manager of the original mighty Dagenham FC and the current club. When he came back in 1996 we were on our knees. Some very poor decisions at board level had left us with literally no team and a bleak future. Ted came in and built, from scratch, one of the finest young teams to have ever played for the red and blue. Not only did he stop the abysmal slide but he took us to Wembley in his first year back. His work laid the foundations for the amazing success that the club enjoyed subsequently under both Garry Hill and then John Still. I will always remember seeing him in the top bar a week or so after he came back, we said 'welcome back Ted' and he replied 'I can't believe I'm back to save you f***ing lot'. That was Ted. Straight talker. True legend. Had time for everyone. Always laughing and so sorely missed. RIP F'ing Ted.

RIP Ted. an absolute Daggers legend. He always had time for a word in the Top bar.

Can only echo comments from Mark, DI Mike, Tom, Rampant Duke and all.

Fabulous memories, saving us at the end of the '96 season and taking us to Wembley with a thrown together team the following season. What a day out and what a semi-final second leg match, a full gamut of emotions, Not for the feint-hearted.

Recently spoke in a Zoom meeting with some friends where the question was asked what was the most memorable sporting event and it was that game out of all the thousands of events I've seen that I chose.

Thank you Ted.