Dagenham & Redbridge F.C.
| Dagenham & Redbridge crest | |||
| Full name | Dagenham & Redbridge Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | The Daggers | ||
| Founded | 1992 | ||
| Ground | Victoria Road, Dagenham | ||
| Capacity | 6,078 (2,200 seated) | ||
| Chairman | Dave Andrews | ||
| Manager | John Still | ||
| League | League One | ||
| 2009–10 | League Two, 7th (Play-off final winners) | ||
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Dagenham & Redbridge Football Club (Template:Pron-en), informally known as Dag & Red is an English football club based in Dagenham, in the London Borough of Barking & Dagenham, London, England. It was formed in 1992 after a merger between Redbridge Forest and Dagenham. The team, after playing in Football League Two having been promoted as champions from the Football Conference in the 2006–07 season, will play in Football League One for the 2010-11 season after defeating Rotherham United in the 2010 League Two play-off final.
The club's traditional colours are red and blue, to represent the merger teams' colours. In the early days the club used red for the home shirt and blue for the away shirts, normally red and white vertical stripes for the home and blue and white vertical stripes for the away. In recent times the kit has gone under a large transformation. The stripes have been replaced with solid colours. The away colours are now yellow with blue trim.
History
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Formation
The club can trace its origins back to four amateur clubs Ilford (formed in 1881), Leytonstone (1886), Walthamstow Avenue (1900) and Dagenham (1949). All had some success, particularly Leytonstone, who won the FA Amateur Cup three times and the Isthmian League title nine times.
In 1979, Ilford and Leytonstone merged to become Leytonstone/Ilford, and in 1988 they absorbed the struggling Walthamstow Avenue to become Redbridge Forest (although the name change was made only in the summer of 1989). Redbridge Forest achieved promotion to the Football Conference in 1991 before merging with Dagenham in 1992 to become Dagenham & Redbridge.
Non-League
Dagenham & Redbridge spent several seasons in the Football Conference, but was relegated to the Isthmian League Premier Division in 1996. It remained in the division until winning promotion in 1999–2000, going on to establish itself as one of the strongest clubs in the Conference, finishing third, second and fifth in its first three seasons back following promotion. The club was only narrowly beaten to the title by Boston United in 2002. Boston United was subsequently found guilty of inappropriately making illegal payments to its players in its title-winning season, following which Dagenham & Redbridge unsuccessfully attempted to have itself declared Conference Champions, and hence take Boston's contentious place in The Football League.
The Daggers then declined somewhat, finishing the 2003–04, 2004–05 and 2005–06 seasons in mid-table. On 27 February 2004 the club was beaten 9–0 at home by Hereford United, equalling the record highest winning margin in the Conference.[1]
Promotion to the Football League
The 2006–07 season saw Dagenham & Redbridge battle it out with Oxford United for the top of the league spot. Despite Oxford quickly racing to the top, a collapse in Oxford's form combined with an excellent run for the Daggers saw them overtake Oxford in the league. On 7 April, Dagenham & Redbridge beat Aldershot Town 2–1 to be declared Conference Champions, meaning the club would play in the Football League for the first time in its history.[2][3]
Dagenham & Redbridge played its first ever match in The Football League on 11 August 2007, a 1–0 defeat to Stockport County.[4] The club won its first Football League game at home to Lincoln City on 1 September 2007.[5] The Daggers finished the season in 20th place, ensuring a second season of Football League competition. Promotion to the Football League meant that Dagenham & Redbridge could compete in the League Cup for the first time. The club lost in the First Round to Luton Town.
The following season, the Daggers reached their highest ever position of 8th. They just failed to make the League Two play offs after losing to Shropshire side Shrewsbury Town at home on the last day of the season.
2009-2010 season
The Daggers started the season in Football League Two, and began with a win against Crewe Alexandra, doing this despite losing nine first team players, but manager John Still found several new faces to complete a good side. During this season the Daggers also sold Solomon Taiwo for a club record fee of £200,000 to Championship side Cardiff City. Dagenham & Redbridge also completed work on a new 1200 all seater away stand, which now meets Football League requirements. This was fully opened during the month of November.
The club finished the regular season in seventh place in the division, the last play-off position. In the play-offs it won the first leg of its semi-final against Morecambe by six goals to nil, a result almost guaranteeing a place in the play-off final to play a deciding match for promotion to the third tier of English football, currently known as League One. With this win, the Daggers also claimed the record for the highest ever first leg score in the Football League Play Offs. The Daggers lost the second "semi-final" leg 2-1, but won 7-2 on aggregate therefore progressing to Wembley.
Dagenham & Redbridge faced Rotherham in the final and won the promotion deciding game 3-2 with goals from Paul Benson, Danny Green and Jon Nurse, meaning League One football in the 2010/2011 season - the first time in the club's history.
Local rivalries
Dagenham & Redbridge has a number of local rivalries. One of the fiercest is with A.F.C. Hornchurch, although the team is currently several leagues below. As of the 2010-2011 season, Dagenham & Redbridge will be able to face its closest geographic Football League rivals, Leyton Orient, a club associated with the Daggers' own history. West Ham United are also nearby.
Players
Current squad
- As of 21 June 2010.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Stadium
League history
| Season | Division | Position | Top league goalscorer | Extra information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992-1993 | Conference | 3 | Paul Cavell 19 | – |
| 1993-1994 | Conference | 6 | Paul Cavell & David Crown 9 | – |
| 1994-1995 | Conference | 15 | Ian Richardson 10 | – |
| 1995-1996 | Conference | 22 | Kelly Haag 8 | Relegated |
| 1996-1997 | Isthmian Premier | 4 | Vinnie John 12 | – |
| 1997-1998 | Isthmian Premier | 4 | Paul Cobb 24 | – |
| 1998-1999 | Isthmian Premier | 3 | Paul Cobb 21 | – |
| 1999-2000 | Isthmian Premier | 1 | Paul Cobb 18 | Champions |
| 2000-2001 | Conference | 3 | Danny Shipp & Junior McDougald 9 | – |
| 2001-2002 | Conference | 2 | Mark Stein 24 | Runners up on goal difference |
| 2002-2003 | Conference | 5 | Mark Stein & Steve West 16 | First Conference play-off finalists |
| 2003-2004 | Conference | 13 | Chris Moore 10 | – |
| 2004-2005 | Conference National | 11 | Chris Moore 19 | – |
| 2005-2006 | Conference National | 10 | Chris Moore 15 | – |
| 2006-2007 | Conference National | 1 | Paul Benson 28 | Champions |
| 2007-2008 | League Two | 20 | Ben Strevens 15 | – |
| 2008-2009 | League Two | 8 | Paul Benson 18 | – |
| 2009-2010 | League Two | 7 | Paul Benson 22 | Play-off winners - promoted |
Records
- Record victory;
- Football Conference - 8–1 vs Woking 1993–94 season
- Football League - 6–0 vs Chester City 2008–09 season
- Record defeat;
- Football Conference - 0–9 vs Hereford United 2003–04 season
- Football League - 1–4 vs Bradford City 2007–08 season
- Record attendance: FA Cup vs Ipswich Town Third Round, 5,949
- Record League attendance: 2 May 2009, Football League Two vs Shrewsbury Town, 4,791
- Record transfer fee received: Solomon Taiwo to Cardiff City, £200,000
- Record transfer fee paid: Paul Cobb from Purfleet, £14,000
- Record appearance holder: Tony Roberts, 442 Appearances over 10 years
- Record goalscorer: Danny Shipp, 102 goals over nine years
Other records
- Tony Roberts is the only goalkeeper in the history of the FA Cup to have scored a goal from open play. He netted against Basingstoke Town in October 2001, it was a fourth Qualifying Round.
- First fully capped international whilst playing for Dagenham was Jon Nurse who was capped for Barbados against Dominica in 2008.
- The highest ever scoreline in the first leg of a play off game is now held by Dagenham, they defeated Morecambe 6–0 on the 16 May 2010, the previous record was held by Crewe Alexandra.
Honours
- Play-Off Winner: 2009–10
- Champions: 2006–07
- Runners-up: 2001–02
Isthmian League Premier Division
- Champions: 1999–2000
- Runners-up: 1997
- Winners: 1998, 2001
- Runners-up: 2002
Notes
- ^ Dag & Red 0-9 Hereford - BBC Sport
- ^ Dag & Red 2-1 Aldershot - BBC Sport
- ^ Daggers delight at promotion prize - BBC Sport
- ^ Stockport 1-0 Dag & Red - BBC Sport
- ^ Dag & Red 1-0 Lincoln - BBC Sport
External links
- Official website
- Dagenham and Redbridge at the Football Club History Database