Page 3 of 4
Re: Fans Forum
Posted: Mon Apr 25, 2016 4:45 pm
by Diggerthedog
Dagenham and Redbridge FC will be holding a Fans' Forum this Wednesday 27th April, at 7:30pm in the small hall.
In attendance at the forum will be, Chairman Dave Bennett, Managing Director Steve Thompson and Manager John Still.
This is an open forum for ALL supporters of the club to attend except Arnu, ask questions and get the latest information at the club.
Read more at
http://www.daggers.co.uk/news/article/f ... 9DBIzmR.99
Re: Fans Forum
Posted: Mon Apr 25, 2016 5:27 pm
by ARNU
I was gonna go as well. I'm totally sure i would have just sat there and observed proceedings. Namely a load of moaning and a load of defending the sometimes indefensible. I have no questions that I don't already know the well rehearsed answers to anyway.
Re: Fans Forum
Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2016 2:08 pm
by RampantDuke
DI Mike Dashwood wrote:Just out of genuine curiosity, who do you want to resign from the board, and who would you replace these people with??
Presumably the two people most seem to believe are responsible are Dave the Plumber and Thommo?? So in the case of Thommo, he is in a paid position I believe as CEO. Do you think there would be a queue of dynamic and high quality businessman wanting to take such a role at a Club in our position and with the structure it has (ie part Limited Company/part Members Club).
Dave the Plumber I don't think is paid a salary for his role (I may be wrong). So do people have suggestions of someone who would and could fulfil such a role without wanting to take a salary for doing this??
And what about the rest of the board, many of whom I believe are unpaid (I could be wrong here)?? Do you want the whole lot out (a number of people are using the term The Board in a very generic way)??
These are genuine questions, I don't know the answer or have an idea on the answers!!!
To be honest Dashers I think that people do sometimes think we are Man Utd, City, Arsenal, West Ham etc. where, if you sack the board there will be plenty of business men lining up behind willing to put billions into the club to then take billions out again.
We are not. We are Dagenham and Redbridge, a non league club run nearly completely by volunteers. That might explain why we are back in the National League and why in all probability we will be joined eventually by Accrington, Morecambe, Stevenage and all of the other traditional non league clubs that are punching above their weight right now.
I am not a fan of Steve Thompson as a person, I find him obnoxious - that has been well documented on this forum, but I could never hand on heart say that he doesn't do his best for the club and I can't see anyone else coming in and doing the job much better. Yes he has made mistakes recently but everyone does in their jobs and they are not automatically fired.
Dave the Plumber seems like a nice bloke but he ain't Dave Andrews. I think his ambition is limited but again I ask the question of who else is out there likely to come in and pump a couple of million of their personal wealth into the club as Dave Andrews did over the 20 years he was chairman.
I'm not sure if there are any easy answers but at least unlike Darlington, Boston, Stockport County etc. we will still be around and hopefully playing top level non-league football for the next few seasons.
Re: Fans Forum
Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2016 3:43 pm
by Diggerthedog
RampantDuke wrote:DI Mike Dashwood wrote:Just out of genuine curiosity, who do you want to resign from the board, and who would you replace these people with??
Presumably the two people most seem to believe are responsible are Dave the Plumber and Thommo?? So in the case of Thommo, he is in a paid position I believe as CEO. Do you think there would be a queue of dynamic and high quality businessman wanting to take such a role at a Club in our position and with the structure it has (ie part Limited Company/part Members Club).
Dave the Plumber I don't think is paid a salary for his role (I may be wrong). So do people have suggestions of someone who would and could fulfil such a role without wanting to take a salary for doing this??
And what about the rest of the board, many of whom I believe are unpaid (I could be wrong here)?? Do you want the whole lot out (a number of people are using the term The Board in a very generic way)??
These are genuine questions, I don't know the answer or have an idea on the answers!!!
To be honest Dashers I think that people do sometimes think we are Man Utd, City, Arsenal, West Ham etc. where, if you sack the board there will be plenty of business men lining up behind willing to put billions into the club to then take billions out again.
We are not. We are Dagenham and Redbridge, a non league club run nearly completely by volunteers. That might explain why we are back in the National League and why in all probability we will be joined eventually by Accrington, Morecambe, Stevenage and all of the other traditional non league clubs that are punching above their weight right now.
I am not a fan of Steve Thompson as a person, I find him obnoxious - that has been well documented on this forum, but I could never hand on heart say that he doesn't do his best for the club and I can't see anyone else coming in and doing the job much better. Yes he has made mistakes recently but everyone does in their jobs and they are not automatically fired.
Dave the Plumber seems like a nice bloke but he ain't Dave Andrews. I think his ambition is limited but again I ask the question of who else is out there likely to come in and pump a couple of million of their personal wealth into the club as Dave Andrews did over the 20 years he was chairman.
I'm not sure if there are any easy answers but at least unlike Darlington, Boston, Stockport County etc. we will still be around and hopefully playing top level non-league football for the next few seasons.
How about we advertise for someone to take Thommo's job, someone with the experience to handle a LTD with a turnover of £1m+?
No one has suggested we get in a benefactor or that Thommo does not do his best for the club we all could just do that and that is simply not good enough (my views).
I have been saying this since our League one visit nothing to do with relegation this season.
Re: Fans Forum
Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2016 4:33 pm
by dagger4eva
Absolutely agree with DTD.
1. The job would presumably be advertised in the same way as any similar position at a reasonably sized company would be with the best candidate selected.
2. I'm sure he does "do his best" in the same way Wayne Burnett did but never forget both were and are paid VERY well to do such a job. Steve also recently saw fit to give himself a pay increase despite the endless bemoaning of how little cash the club has.
3. He is massively obnoxious and the club is run like a complete & utter dictatorship. Unless Steve says - literally NOTHING goes. It has always been that way and always will be. I'm yet to meet a single person within the club who has a good word to say about him (on a personal and employer/employee level)
4. As for Dave the plumber - when he is actually in the country (not every often) just wtf does he do?? Sod all - that's what. Apparently a very, very good businessman but as a football club chairman he is anonymous, weak and nothing more than a yes man and puppet to Steve.
Rant over.
Re: Fans Forum
Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2016 12:07 am
by The Romford Dagger
dagger4eva wrote:Absolutely agree with DTD.
1. The job would presumably be advertised in the same way as any similar position at a reasonably sized company would be with the best candidate selected.
2. I'm sure he does "do his best" in the same way Wayne Burnett did but never forget both were and are paid VERY well to do such a job. Steve also recently saw fit to give himself a pay increase despite the endless bemoaning of how little cash the club has.
3. He is massively obnoxious and the club is run like a complete & utter dictatorship. Unless Steve says - literally NOTHING goes. It has always been that way and always will be. I'm yet to meet a single person within the club who has a good word to say about him (on a personal and employer/employee level)
4. As for Dave the plumber - when he is actually in the country (not every often) just wtf does he do?? Sod all - that's what. Apparently a very, very good businessman but as a football club chairman he is anonymous, weak and nothing more than a yes man and puppet to Steve.
Rant over.
2) Surely he can't just give himself a pay rise. Somebody must have voted on it?!? Surely?
3) I did work experience there on two occasions split over 4 weeks and I came in 15 mins early on one of the first days and they were all having a staff meeting (Thomson, the computer sales person, etc) and somebody gave a suggestion to get more people at one of those daggers against racism days. To say Steve disagreed was an understatement. In front of the whole meeting he went absolutely fooking mental. Screaming and all sorts.
Some on here won't believe me but it's true. It was a terrible way to treat his staff. Especially something as little as that.
And agree he isn't popular with his staff but my example proves exactly why not
Re: Fans Forum
Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2016 12:07 am
by The Romford Dagger
dagger4eva wrote:Absolutely agree with DTD.
1. The job would presumably be advertised in the same way as any similar position at a reasonably sized company would be with the best candidate selected.
2. I'm sure he does "do his best" in the same way Wayne Burnett did but never forget both were and are paid VERY well to do such a job. Steve also recently saw fit to give himself a pay increase despite the endless bemoaning of how little cash the club has.
3. He is massively obnoxious and the club is run like a complete & utter dictatorship. Unless Steve says - literally NOTHING goes. It has always been that way and always will be. I'm yet to meet a single person within the club who has a good word to say about him (on a personal and employer/employee level)
4. As for Dave the plumber - when he is actually in the country (not every often) just wtf does he do?? Sod all - that's what. Apparently a very, very good businessman but as a football club chairman he is anonymous, weak and nothing more than a yes man and puppet to Steve.
Rant over.
2) Surely he can't just give himself a pay rise. Somebody must have voted on it?!? Surely?
3) I did work experience there on two occasions split over 4 weeks and I came in 15 mins early on one of the first days and they were all having a staff meeting (Thomson, the computer sales person, etc) and somebody gave a suggestion to get more people at one of those daggers against racism days. To say Steve disagreed was an understatement. In front of the whole meeting he went absolutely fooking mental. Screaming and all sorts.
Some on here won't believe me but it's true. It was a terrible way to treat his staff. Especially something as little as that.
And agree he isn't popular with his staff but my example proves exactly why not
Re: Fans Forum
Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2016 7:35 am
by Auntie Merge
This isn't the first time that I've heard of unacceptable workplace behaviour going on at the club by one or two individuals. And that is what the club is to quite a few - a workplace.
In my job I deal with lots of incidents of workplace bullying and if what I have heard is true then it can only be a matter of time before the club is taken to an employment tribunal. It might be that people feel they can't speak out and tell the truth for fear of repercussions, but threatening members of staff against speaking out is a further offence.
Re: Fans Forum
Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2016 9:58 am
by mickeyblue
something has popped up so cannot attend tonight, could someone ask about the academy and college scheme please and leave feedback
thanks in advance
micky
Re: Fans Forum
Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2016 11:07 am
by mickeyblue
Re: Fans Forum
Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2016 1:12 pm
by Diggerthedog
Video Link has gone down, cant afford the Skype fee

Re: Fans Forum
Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2016 1:35 pm
by Auntie Merge
I'm guessing he put up a banner and someone might have tried to push him over :)
Not guilty.
I'm still going tonight though and urge others to do the same.
Re: Fans Forum
Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2016 2:13 pm
by RampantDuke
The Romford Dagger wrote:dagger4eva wrote:Absolutely agree with DTD.
1. The job would presumably be advertised in the same way as any similar position at a reasonably sized company would be with the best candidate selected.
2. I'm sure he does "do his best" in the same way Wayne Burnett did but never forget both were and are paid VERY well to do such a job. Steve also recently saw fit to give himself a pay increase despite the endless bemoaning of how little cash the club has.
3. He is massively obnoxious and the club is run like a complete & utter dictatorship. Unless Steve says - literally NOTHING goes. It has always been that way and always will be. I'm yet to meet a single person within the club who has a good word to say about him (on a personal and employer/employee level)
4. As for Dave the plumber - when he is actually in the country (not every often) just wtf does he do?? Sod all - that's what. Apparently a very, very good businessman but as a football club chairman he is anonymous, weak and nothing more than a yes man and puppet to Steve.
Rant over.
2) Surely he can't just give himself a pay rise. Somebody must have voted on it?!? Surely?
3) I did work experience there on two occasions split over 4 weeks and I came in 15 mins early on one of the first days and they were all having a staff meeting (Thomson, the computer sales person, etc) and somebody gave a suggestion to get more people at one of those daggers against racism days. To say Steve disagreed was an understatement. In front of the whole meeting he went absolutely fooking mental. Screaming and all sorts.
Some on here won't believe me but it's true. It was a terrible way to treat his staff. Especially something as little as that.
And agree he isn't popular with his staff but my example proves exactly why not
I believe it completely, having experienced it first hand myself, and with Dave the Plumber wearily apologising on his behalf afterwards it did seem that this was a fairly regular occurrence.
Re: Fans Forum
Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2016 7:14 pm
by daggersjeff
Auntie Merge wrote:
I'm guessing he put up a banner and someone might have tried to push him over :)
Not guilty.
I'm still going tonight though and urge others to do the same.
Maybe he was trying kick someone else out of the ground!
Re: Fans Forum
Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2016 10:29 pm
by mickeyblue
any updates ?