With Dagenham and Redbridge hovering around the relegation zone, Youcef Dahmani takes a look at their ongoing problems.
Last season saw Dagenham and Redbridge engaged in a long fight for survival. They made it, eventually finishing safely in 14th position in League Two. Jamie Cureton, the 40-year-old veteran, played an inspirational role, netting 20 goals and the Player of the Year award.
Cureton is still knocking them in for the team, but relegation fears continue to haunt the club. With November nearing, the Daggers are struggling once again in League Two, and currently sit third from bottom in the table.
After their latest 3-4 loss against Mansfield at home, a deflated Burnett said, “it’s not a coincidence why we keep getting beat; let’s be honest, we are in the position we are in because we are just not good enough.”
The reasons appear simple. A squeeze on finances and a knock-on effect for player recruitment has hit manager Wayne Burnett’s squad hard.
Young talent
During the summer, the Daggers parted company with two key first-team players, Scott Doe and Abu Ogogo. Doe and Ogogo were both at Victoria Road for six years, but headed for the exit alongside six other players.
With funds low for the East Londoners, free transfers have seemed the only plausible way to bring in new talent. Seven players have signed on frees.
However, the team is having to heavily rely on young talent coming through from the Academy. Jodi Jones and Jack Connors, both 17, are two that have already had an impact on the team.
The season began with a dispiriting 3-0 defeat away at Portsmouth. The Daggers lost their following two home games, firstly against East London rivals Leyton Orient, and then against Exeter City three days later.
Their only win of the season came in September against Northampton, a team the Daggers had never beaten in 11 previous attempts. This moved them out of the relegation zone, but only briefly.
Since that win there have been signs of hope, with four draws in eight games, but wins are still proving elusive.
Sloppy
First team coach, Warren Hackett, said after the Daggers’ latest home defeat again Hartlepool United: “Naturally we’re disappointed to lose the game and to not get anything out of it. We calculated [we put in] around 20 crosses into the box, and had scoring opportunities but didn’t take them.
“We have conceded very sloppy goals during this season. I think we are getting better at it as teams are finding it harder score against us, but they counter us and go [and] score.”
The Daggers have made some emergency recruitment during October. Both Jake Mulraney and Frankie Sutherland have joined on loan from QPR, joining Josh Pask from West Ham. The three signings all arrived on a one month loan deal.
Dagenham and Redbridge will be hoping their luck turns around soon. They came back from 1-0 to draw 2-2 against York City on Tuesday night, moving them out of the relegation zone on goal difference.
They face an away trip to Accrington Stanley before hosting Luton Town on 1st November, hoping to secure the first home win of the season.