Saturday 2 October 2010

Fan Of The Week

This week its Ricky Butler. No don't run away he is not that bad honestly. All joking aside Ricky has been a real help to me. He encouraged me to do my first blog, the Sky Sports blog, having the confidence to send blogs to the supporters website and other things too numerous to mention. We don't meet up often at the Daggers so Ricky this is your week of fame with a huge thanks from me. Enjoy it.

Although born and raised in Rainham, Essex I now live in Darlington, County Durham and work as a freelance sports reporter for the local newspaper up here. Ive been a Daggers fan since I got into football in the late 1970's, although my first actual game was an FA CUP tie against Milwall in December 1981. The ground was full, the atmosphere was tense and a wall collapsed at the front of the Sieve when Milwall scored! Quiet an experience for a 13 year old, but it did not put me off and Ive been a regular on and off ever since.

The Best Dagenham and Redbridge Game You Have Ever Seen?

I'm sure most will go for Play-Off Final at Wembley in May, which was an amazing experience but for me it has to be the away game at Darlington in April 2008, when we cam back from 0-2 down to come back and win 3-2 and clinch another season in the Football League. The emotion at the end when we all heard the Mansfield result and knew we were staying up was unreal and made us all realise what football, and this club, means to us all. It was also my sons Emerson's first ever live match.

The Worst Ever Dagenham and Redbridge Game You Have Ever Been Too?

Difficult choice as there have been so many terrible games down the years! The 0-9 vs Hereford stands out as a real low point although personally I think I would choose the 0-2 defeat to Chelmsford last December. It was freezing, the match was awful and it took me 6 hours to get home!

The Best Ever Dagenham and Redbridge Goal You Have Ever Seen Scored?

Paul Benson's chip from the corner flag against Kidderminster is bound to get a lot of votes and that was indeed the best goal I have seen scored, but my personal favourite is either John Nurse's at Wembley in May or Paul Terry's last minute goal at Morecambe in 2003. Not for quality but for sheer importance and the celebrations they brought with it.

The Worst Ever Dagenham and Redbrdige Goal You Have Seen Conceded?

Again from an emotional point of view it would probably be the second one Shrewsbury scored in May 2009 when we only need a draw to make the Play-Offs. It was such a soft goal and made it 0-2 and I don't think Ive ever felt more disappointed to see the ball hit the back of the net.

The Best Dagenham and Redbridge Away Game You Have  Ever Been Too?

The Darlingotn match mentioned earlier would be right up there although personally I really enjoyed the Play-Off Semi-Final against Morecambe in May. However if I had to pick one it would be the aforementioned game against Morecambe in 2003. We looked out of it when they scored to make it 2-1 on aggregate with about three minutes left but then Terry popped up with a last gasp equaliser and we went on to win on penalties to reach the Play-Off Final against Doncaster. The celebrations at the end were unreal.

The Worst Ever Dagenham and Redbridge Away Game You Have Ever Been Too?

To be honest I normally enjoy the away games even when we lose. I have seen some awful games down the years though it was hard to get too excited about a 0-1 defeat at Accrington on a cold Friday night in April 2008.

The Best Dagenham and Redbridge Player You Have Ever Seen?

If I can include loan players then it would have to be Matt Ritchie. The guy was simply awesome and easily the best player I have ever seen wear our shirt.However I am restricted to players that we have actually owned then it would have to be Mark Stein. He was a great player who scored some fantastic goals for us.

The Worst Dagenham and Redbridge Player You Have Ever Seen?

Pretty tricky to be honest as I have never looked on our players as not being good enough. They are Daggers and I have always supported them but looking back I guess we have had some terrible ones. Perry Groves was pretty awful in his short spell with us and I was very disappointed with Paulo Vemazza.

If You Could Sign Any Player For Dagenham and Redbridge Who Would It Be And Why?

If you ,mean fantasy then it would be Cesc Fabregas. Quiet simply the best player on the planet!.But if you are being realistic then I would say Charlie Austin of Swindon. The lad can score goals at this level and that is exactly what we need right now. (Ricky did this before today's game).

Where Do You Think The Daggers Will Be In 10 Years Time?

My head says back in the Conference I'm afraid. We cannot hope to maintain our current progress while we continue to sell our best players and I do worry about the future when John Still retires. However my heart would love to see us in the Championship or beyond after we get a sugar daddy to invest vast sums into the club. We would have a 15,000 all setter stadium built in Central Park and with West Ham long since gone bust we would fill it every week with all the ex-Hammers who would have nothing better to do!. Oh and we would have a 33 year old Cesc Fabregas playing in midfield as well.

Thanks Ricky for taking the time for doing this as always if your interested in being Fan Of The Week then email at anthonyhodgson1@hotmail.com.

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