Football Season Review

Dagenham & Redbridge were not expected to make an impact on League 1 following their unexpected play-off win last season, but they came agonisingly close to surviving, missing out by just a point to Walsall. Indeed if they had managed a draw at Peterborough on the final day then they would have stayed up on goal difference, but a 5-0 defeat condemned them to a harsh relegation. It was one of the very few times they had been completely outplayed in the whole season, but the real reason they went down may have been back-to-back defeats at Tranmere and at home to Plymouth towards the end of the campaign. Those were two games that the Daggers needed to take something from and, although their 3-0 win over Carlisle in the penultimate fixture gave them a chance, three points from their final six games was their undoing. Their away record was equal-worst in the league with just 17 points on the road, but it was certainly a memorable season for the club’s fans, who were watching Ryman League football 12 years ago. Dagenham will surely be stronger as a result of their one season in League 1 and will be keen to get back out of League 2 as soon as possible. However, the club lacks the infrastructure to sustain itself at this level yet, although they nearly managed it with the superb team spirit typical of the team under manager John Still. Their obvious star is winger Danny Green, who proved deadly from set-pieces all season. However, his stupid dismissal for a second yellow card late on in the Carlisle game, with his side leading 3-0, cost them dear as they were unable to compete without him in the final game. He is likely to be poached by a bigger club over the summer, but Still has a knack of discovering players in non-league and polishing them into professional footballers.

Player of the Season: Danny Green