If anyone wants to join in, and I know that it is pretty unlikely, then send me you thoughts. Don't worry about the spelling or grammar as I will edit and correct it if neccessary, or I'll try to!
John Beckett starts us off.
Pre-season hopes: Good enough squad to challenge for the title (again!) with perhaps Sutton, Aldershot and Enfield as our main rivals.
Early defeats at both Enfield and Aldershot made me doubt my judgement but then in October results improved and we embarked on a slightly fortuitous cup run. Who will forget the last few minutes of the Wealdstone game when the opposition missed a penalty, then had a man sent off and finally gifted us an equaliser hours into added on time.
The replay, of course, was a walkover once we'd established a two goal lead. Struggles against lower league teams in the cups (Chipstead and Barton in particular suggested all was not right and once Stevenage completely stuffed us league form began to suffer too.
A disastrous December with crucial defeats against Aldershot, Purfleet and Sutton killed off our league chances. Bizarrely the New Year saw our defence become so tight that not a goal was conceded for the best part of a day and two cracking performances against two conference teams, Farnborough and Telford gave us hope of a quick return to the Twin Towers. Another weak effort against St Albans put pay to that.
Continuing rocksolid defending gave the end of the season some interest as it looked as if we might challenge ailing Aylesbury and Sutton but 4 or 5 draws against teams on the lower reaches together with a totally inept 1st 30 minutes at Purfleet which saw our previously impregnable defence breached 3 times saw an end to our hopes.
General thoughts: an enjoyable season which didn't quite deliver all that it promised. With our squad we really should be challenging for the Ryman title. Of course the unusual management arrangements always threatened to upset the smooth running of the team. It's harsh to criticise Ted Hardy though - a non league legend in his own lifetime if there was one and John Bennett achieved fantastic results in his caretaker period.
As for the team itself: you can't argue with 50 plus goals between Cobb and Shipp even if they did have their occasional offdays but the strength for me was in the backbone of the team, in particular Matthews and Cole (as long as he's not passing back to Gothard! ). When you consider that both these two gentlemen and Conner and Culverhouse missed large stretches of the season you can only guess at what might have been (an Arsenal defensive record probably). I felt others played well in patches but an erratic tendency and a midfield lacking a Hessenthaler, Ebdon or Richardson plus the ridiculous late 90's wing back phenomena caused us problems.
The future? Those of us who saw Redbridge Forest in the top 4 of the Conference want that to see that level of soccer again at Victoria Road. This squad is not far off at least giving us the chance to compete in such a league. Let's hope Gary Hill can compile a good squad not ignoring the strengths of the current one.
Thanks John, you echo a lot of my own thoughts.
Second set of thoughts from Bill Doig
I'll certainly echo what's been said so far. We do have the players to challenge at the top but yet again we spent the second half of the season playing catch up after throwing it all away in December. A bit of consistency would have seen us pushing Sutton all the way.
Having said that, at this early stage, I would say we must be amongst the favourites for next season. The backbone is there. we do need a class midfielder who can pass the ball accurately and set up chances and also one who can win the ball. I know I'm stating the unthinkable but it would also be nice to see a left back.
Obviously Gary Hill will have his own ideas and we will have to wait a bit to see what they are. He has already made some changes and no doubt more will follow. Man of the season was undoubtedly Lee Matthews and with a season behind him will no doubt do even better.
Have a nice Summer
Billy Doig.
Bill, thank you very much for taking the time to write. With regard to the Man of the Season, it may have undoubtedly been Lee Matthews but it was Paul Cobb who recieved most votes. And it is the votes that count!
Third set of thoughts from Steve McGregor(Me)
I would guess that my pre-season hopes were the same as all the supporters. In the close season I genuinely believed we had a good enough squad to win the Ryman Premier Division. In hindsight, I now know that wasn't the case.
There were players that had showed a lot of potential in the previous season but failed to deliver during this campaign. The midfield was an area in which the team was let down. Perhaps this was due to it being changed so often or the fact that the players never knew what formation they were going to be playing in.
Then came our, now, standard December, where, in reality, the League season lost all momentum. We did have the Trophy run to look forward to though.
In the league the players seem to lose their enthusiasm and motivation and when we lost to St. Albans in the Trophy I thought that the season was over.
Of course that was Ted's last game (well almost) and I don't think anyone had realised that in the background we were well into an amazing league run that was to carry on far into John Bennett's caretaker period.
The players' game improved dramatically, we saw the type of football I knew we were capable of and at one stage it looked like there was an outside chance of winning the league. There was a couple things that put paid to that: Sutton's last few months and bloody Purfleet!
Gary Hill has arrived at the club and we will have to see what he is going to do. Most supporters had a softspot for John Bennett and would like to have seen him stay. Success with John would have been a bonus: Success with Gary is expected!
And as a final comment to you Bill, left back? What's that?
And now we have Simon Newell's thoughts
Even through we didn't gain promotion to the conference it was another season to remember. Mostly for drinking in the bars around the Ryman League clubs and ours of course. Especially Geoff Smith and Jeff Williams.
Back in September we played Enfield away and lost 0-4, but we were the better team. I've never watched a game where a team dominated for so long and lose that heavy. Still our reserve team would gain revenge at the end of the season.
In our first game in the F.A. Cup v Eastbourne Town at home the crowd be-friended a chubby player from Eastbourne. He played well and the Daggers crowd gave him a great reception when he was substituted, we won 4-0.
The Wealdstone match was crazy, after days of the rain the game went ahead but only for about 20 minutes. We were 1-0 through Paul Cobb, when the ref blew the whistle for abandoning the game, the Wealdstone team dived in a massive puddle on the pitch. Steve produced a great picture and published it on the website within 2 hours.
I remember on a very cold night in Hendon (November) we drew 2-2, I think most of the supporters including myself had travelled from the work in the city for an easier journey. Sod that going home I paid the extra 3 pounds for a lovely warm coach.
84 was the attendance at Ware in the League Cup 1st Round. A very damp and foggy night, but the new clubhouse was nice. I was standing with a work mate who supports Ware and they were loving it when Ware were leading 1-0. But as soon as Barry and Bird scored I had the last laugh. I think there was more sand in the Ware two goalmouths than Southend's beach that night.
Christmas was coming and we seem to spend more money in the clubhouse especially at home to Aldershot I don't know why? In January at home to Enfield I was ill, so got out of my sick bed and watched the last 15 mins. I bumped into one of the chaps in the car park. He was going home, he had enough, we were 1-3 down. So I walked in and watched the last 12 mins and we drew 3-3 I must be lucky charm!
The replay of the FA Trophy 3rd round v Farnborough was just amazing, we were the better team and scoring the last mins of extra time was blinding. It was worth being late back and driving through the wet of the M25.
Just two of us went to Chesham in the Puma Cup, we left in good time and arrived too early, 6.00pm Well you don't know about the M25.
I never forget the Telford game, we were just walking round to the other goal when Shippy scored, what a performance from the lads. Heybridge in the Essex Senior Cup, I think Kirk must of had nerves against his old team. Another satisfying night was away to Aylesbury, a cold windy night saw us win 1-0, it was my turn to drive and see my mate getting drunk again in my car. All we could hear at the game was trumpets and drums, it was like watching our carnival down Oxlow Lane in July. Nice clubhouse.
St Albans in the next round of the Trophy was a shame, I think if we did win that game we could of gone all the way again. A few days after the match Ted announced his retirement...an end of an era for the Daggers, it was nice of the Daggers to go out and win in his last game. John Bennett took over. A great performance at home to Aylesbury to keep our record going and it continued at Borehamwood in midweek, the Daggers supporters were brilliant all night, I was nice to have the ten second countdown for the 1,000 minutes without conceding a goal. The Hendon game was another great performance from the lads, also during this game we saw the Half Way Line Posse looking a bit merry in the Main Stand.
I also watched a lot of reserve games and saw some good games especially v East Thurrock League where they won by 13-1; Heybridge in the Fred Budden Final; and beating Enfield 6-0 in the Play off final.
But the highlight of the season must have been the Challenge Match, Half Way Line Posse v Hardy Athletic, I hope we can do it again at the end of next season. I cannot wait for August to start again, I think it will be a good season for the first and reserve teams.
Thanks Simon, obviously a few fond memories. This time next year you will be writing in this column about how you danced and sang all night when celebrating our championship!
This week we have Mark Buckingham's thoughts....Not exactly last seasons more of next seasons
We now have the basis for a title challenge, but the only way we can put that into action is to strengthen the squad.
Last season 3-5-2 didn't work well as we had two wingers at wing-back, Pratty and Janney. I still feel we should play 4-4-2 as it was very successful for the club in the Trophy season. The first player we need is a quality left back, and I have no idea why Craig Davidson left, or was let go. Warren Oakley also had a good season the year we got to the Trophy Final, but from watching him in the reserves recently, he has lost it completely. Secondly, we need a centre back that is dominant in the air, as we have never looked secure from set-pieces since Creaser left. Ashley Vickers?
The only problem then is, what do you do with two of the best centre backs in the league, Matthews and Cole. The only way they could all fit is if Cole played in centre of midfield or at right back. I would not play Matthews at full back though, as I feel he has developed into one of the best centre backs in the league. Janney would also be more suited to the 4-4-2 formation, as he would not have the extra responsibility of defending, when it is obvious he is an attacking player. Also, now Broomy has adopted the centre midfield role, we need a left midfielder, and in my opinion Jon Keeling of Purfleet is the man for the job. Also, we need some back up for the strikers, or maybe even somebody to challenge the strikers for their place. Another full back is needed as well, as Culverhouse is always injured and the only 'left back' of sorts, that we have is Lee Goodwin, who I see as a squad player.
Cobby and Shippy are two of the best strikers in the league, and I definitely think they should stay, as they have scored so many goals. I must admit that I am not one of Shippy's greatest fans, as I don't think he uses his size enough and hardly ever sets Cobb up, even though Cobb sets him up, but you cannot argue with his goal tally. But if he isn't going to use his weight, maybe he should lose some and gain some pace.
If we make the right signings, and not too many, as the base of the team is good, then we have a great chance of the title, but all remains to be seen.
Thanks Mark, a few interesting thoughts?
It's Niall Campbell's turn.
Mitchell Springett. What was he all about then? This was very much a season of two halves, the first half typified by the signing of Mitch, was uninspiring and dour. Kicking off with a fortunate draw with Borehamwood, the away fixture at Enfield set the scene for the torment that was to come. We obviously had enough individual talent in the team to challenge for the top spot but it just wasn't happening. The results were not all bad, we could score goals aplenty and on a good day we could come away with a clean sheet, but with occasional exceptions - the thumping of Carshalton, the 4:0 win over Telford, - the style of football we were playing was dull and wasn't working. The first half of the season came to a close shortly after our toothless display against St Alban's saw us dumped out of the FA Trophy.
I can't say much about Ted. His reputation goes before him and it is not for me to criticise someone with such pedigree. I've only followed the club since the merger and have little experience of his previous triumphs but I would prefer to remember him as the man who led us to Wembley against all the odds in 1997 rather than as the architect behind this season.
The second half of the season was far more upbeat. We rose from 14th position to 3rd, via the Guinness book of records. The players played football that could hold its own in the Conference rather than the hit and hope game that had begun to suggest that we had found our level in the Rymans. We began to look like the kind of team that was unlikely to throw points away, the annual trip to Purfleet being the exception to prove the rule. Players forced their way into the first team from the reserves begging the question "Why weren't they given a run in December?" when our season had collapsed. Paul Terry and Jeff Woolsey, in particular, give our club a bright future to look forward to if we can hang on to them.
Cobbie was rightly voted our player of the season. Undoubtedly, as Bill Doig points out, Lee Matthews is a great player, but Cobbie did it all season while Lee spent half of the season on the treatment table.
The vacant manager's position, I believe, was handled badly with communication being the stumbling block. One of the greatest strengths of this club is our support and I think that the Board should do a lot more to encourage the supporters to feel part of what is going on. There is an enormous catchment area for this club and we should be working together on increasing the profile of the club locally. The club has been failing in communication all round, a point regularly raised with the Chairman at Supporters Club meetings to no avail. This along with the lack of information about what was happening with Steve Conner, Lee Matthews and Goodwin etc and the comings and goings at the club of players, Lee Double or Dean Johnson for example- was a prime example.
The fans were brilliant as ever. The Braveheart storming of the pitch at St Albans was a spectacle in itself and you have to raise a glass to the dozen or so who made the last game so memorable.
John Bennett worked miracles for us, turning the season round with the same players, and will prove an incredibly hard act to follow. The brave appointment of Garry Hill - the worst kept secret in non-league football - over Benno puts a lot of expectation on next season and this is where I get positive. I've got a sneaking feeling that we'll be going up. Let's hope the club will be as positive off the pitch as the team will be on it.
Thanks for that Niall (and Mary). Some good points very well made.
Richard ?
Unofficial review of the season for the Unofficial web site.
There is a proviso I must add to the start of this review. I do not claim to have any in depth knowledge of football or a great wealth of historical knowledge on the Daggers. I am relatively new to the torture of being a D&RFC follower (3 seasons) and as such these comments can be dismissed with as much contempt as you see fit!
I can only start by agreeing with the comments already made regarding the December slide to mid table mediocrity. The great run towards the end of the season at least saved us the embarrassment of finishing below Purfleet!
I don't think our chances were helped much by the injury to Tim Cole. Apart from the odd aberration and spat with Gothard I thought Tim was excellent in the majority of the games he played. During, and even after, our glorious run of clean sheets the defence finally looked to be working as a unit.
I know it is stating the bleeding obvious but if we had been a bit more consistent in Midfield and with our defensive shape I believe we would have taken the promotion battle right to the wire. We went through a spell of letting teams run right through the middle of us. I agree with the other reviewers comments regarding the centre midfield position, a good replacement for Howard will be the key to next season, and I don't believe Broom is the man for the job either. We also had an annoying habit of playing badly against mediocre opposition, beating Aylesbury home and away means nothing if you lose at home to Billericay!
After good runs in both the FA Cup & Trophy it was a shame that we were eliminated from both with such lacklustre performances, especially against St Albans. The fact that they were beaten by Forest Green and the fact we came back from 2 down in the last game of the season shows how close we were to another Wembley appearance.
I would like to list a few points that should be noted from this season that I believe will be of a great help to our promotion winning side of 99/00 (Hmmm).
I wouldn't classify the season as being a disaster. Hopefully, with the new management team in place, the foundations of a potentially league winning side have been left from the Hardy tenure. If we can retain Janney & Gothard and add some steel to the middle of the park I hope we will be there or there about at the end of the season. Maybe even the treble! (League, FA Trophy & Essex Senior Cup).
Thanks Richard, most of your thoughts seem to be echoed by most of us. But let's leave the Essex Senior Cup out of this!
ANYONE ELSE?