Where Now?

                                                       


Its been an awful couple of weeks if I'm honest no one likes losing players especially of the calibre of Danny Green, Romain Vincelot and Tony Roberts. Any club would struggle with the loss of some of their best players but that's what being a Dagger is all about. You come here because we will give you a chance and if you do well we let you move on and further your career. Its how we get players of this quality in the first place.

Its not all doom and gloom though, look at the players that are still here, Mark Arber, Danny J Green, Scott Doe, Abu Ogogo, Peter Gain, the returning Josh Scott, Chris Lewington will battle James Shea the Arsenal trainee and England U20 goalkeeper for the number 1 spot, Damien Scanell, the hopefully emerging Alex Osborn, Medy Elito, and Luke Wilkinson and many many more. We are still a solid League 2 side aren't we? Will be flirting with relegation this year? Of course we wont be. We will replace, regroup and start another chapter in our history led by John Still and his backroom team into battle once more.

It wont be easy but its up to us the fans who pay our money each week to get behind the team and support them. I bet they are just as gutted as we are that these guys have gone, perhaps selfishly we forget that sometimes, but I bet the ones still here will be busting a gut for the badge and the club and everything it stands for.

As I write this I have no idea what John Still is up to in the transfer market, rumours are that the 1st of August is going to be a very busy day (ref simmo's hints) and I have no right to know either, that's not my job and I don't appreciate people telling me how to do mine so I certainly wont be telling him how to do his. What I will do though is support him because if anyone has the clubs best interests at heart its him. Anyone that doubts that should hang their heads in shame. He has always done right by us, we may not have seen it at the time but what do we know?.

The summer has almost gone and the new season is just around the corner. I'm getting excited about it, I don't know where it will end, what will happen, who will emerge as the new hero to replace the ones that have gone, but what I do know is that I guarantee it wont be boring because it never is being a Dagger and that's why we care and support the club and the team.

So lose those summer pounds, get that shirt over your head, lubricate the voice box and get ready for Season 2011-12, its going to be an absolute belter.

Tony Roberts........Legend

                                                         
If you look up the word legend in the Oxford dictionary it says the following "an extremely famous or notorious person, especially in a particular field: the man was a living legend a screen legend" well I would like to add my own definition of legend. In future when people talk about legends I would like the following to be recorded " Tony Roberts goalkeeper for Dagenham and Redbridge".

Of all the blogs Ive written in my time of being a Dagenham and Redbridge fan, the players who have left, the ones who have joined, the joy of Wembley, the tears of relegation, the one I didn't want to write was the one you are reading now. I wanted Tony to go on forever, to still be there when I was old and grey, but unfortunately the time has come for us to say goodbye and good luck for the future.

The announcement by the club today that Tony is moving onto pastures new and retiring from playing football has hit me hard, as I'm sure all of you reading this feel as well, we always knew the day would come but every season we always hoped it wouldn't be this one. Whenever we talk about our team and the line up we would like to see his name is always first, no question, its never ever been in doubt has it?.

Ive watched him from behind the goal, Ive watched him from the family stand, and the way he interacts with supporters of both clubs is a credit to him. He takes huge stick from away supporters with their ' You fat B@@@@@D chant' he will turn and face them lifting his shirt and showing them his muscles with a huge smile on his face. He will run over to the family stand and celebrate with us when we score, he will turn and yell with us at the stand behind the goal when we score at the Marcus James Stand end. You can see in his face how much it means to him as well as too us.

He has had injury's and suffered the pain of relegation, but he has also tasted the joy of winning titles and being on the winning side at Wembley. He has been twice capped by Wales, the country of his birth and is the record appearance holder for the Daggers. He is also the only goalkeeper to score in the FA Cup, when he netted against Basingstoke Town in the fourth qualifying round in 2001. Tony currently trains the Arsenal Youth team goalkeepers, but has now been promoted to first team duties, for which I'm sure we all wish him well.

I have loved watching him play down the years, Ive met him a few times and have always found him polite and courteous and a real pleasure to be around. He is also the only player who has had me in awe when he shook my hand and I mumbled like a small child with a stupid grin on my face. He is my favourite player, as an ex-Portsmouth trainee goalkeeper myself I have always admired the skill and agility that he has shown, and stuck up for him when he has been unfairly criticised by some. He has had me opened mouthed and on my feet with a save one minute, and crying with laughter at his antics the next.

Some say he looks like Sylvester Stallone, others mention his likeness to Beaker from the Muppet's, to me he will always be Tony Roberts the Legendary Dagenham and Redbridge goalkeeper. Good luck Tony, thank you for the eleven years of incredible service, the fun and the laughter, I'm going to have to stop now I'm welling up, just thank you big man there will never be another.

hwyl fawr Tony

You can find Tony Roberts profile on the Dagenham and Recbridge website here.

Smiling Through The Tears

I wasn't there today, our biggest game ( we seem to say that every season now don't we ) in our history and I wasn't there. Its not that I didn't want to be believe me, it was because of my urgent need to sell my house and move before my daughter starts secondary school in the summer, so forgive me.

A thousand Daggers made the trip to Peterborough whilst I spent the day looking at houses and having people look at mine. I made sure though there was no one looking at my house between 3pm and 5pm and with my fags and drink I settled down to Jeff Sterling and the boys, on my own, whilst my wife and her Mum sat in the garden catching the last of the afternoon sun.

To be honest I was glad of the earlier distraction as it meant I had something else to think about. Being a football fan is something you cant explain, believe me Ive tried. It takes you to the highest highs and can also bring you to the lowest of lows. The width of a post, the wave of a flag, the blow of a whistle, all of these things can give you an unbelievable buzz or leave you pulling your hair out with frustration.

The game started and I was mildly optimistic that we would do it, Id read all the comments from Mark Arber on Twitter all week saying that we would do it and to believe, and I did I really did. It wasn't to be though was it?. It wasn't anyone's fault it was just one of those things. A bridge too far if you will pardon the pun. We can go over the season and look at the games we lost, the games we drew, the games we should have won but didn't but it wont change anything will it? Its pointless to do such things because it makes us look for someone or something to blame when there isn't anyone to take the blame.

The effort that all at the club put into this for us, the fans, will live with me and others for the rest of our lives. We may bounce back next season we may not, it will depend on who moves on in the summer to be honest. There seems no doubt that Vincelot and Green are favourites to go. Perhaps Scott Doe and Abu Ogogo will go as well but this isn't the time to think about this now. This is a time to reflect on how proud we are of what we achieved. We came within one point, one bloody point of staying in this league, the smallest of margins and that makes me proud of the players, John Still and everyone involved in the club.

My door bell rang at 4.30 this afternoon and my wife opened the door to a couple who had come to look at my house.They apologised for being earlier than expected and asked if it was okay to come in. My wife as she always does smiled and said it was fine. She started to show them around as I sat there on the settee, tears streaming down my face as the goals flowed in. A strange mixture of pride and pain as the realisation of what this defeat meant began to sink in. My wife showed them into the front room and I wiped my eyes, the woman looked at me and asked if  I was okay, I couldn't answer and my wife came over and gave me a cuddle then explained that my team had been relegated.

The woman smiled and her husband asked if he could sit and watch the final few minutes with me, I nodded and me and this stranger sat there as the fourth and fifth went in. My wife and the woman went into the kitchen for coffee and left us there. When it was over and the final result was known he shook my hand, wished me well and told me he was a West Ham fan and knew what I was going through. 

That is what football does to you, it doesn't need a spoken word from those that follow it, they know what it means to you, they know how it feels to win against the odds, they know what its like to lose. I am unbelievably proud of what my team achieved this season, I'm proud to wear my shirt and scarf, I'm proud to call myself a fan of this club. The tears and pain will fade over the next few days and weeks and then I shall be looking forward to the start of the season once again. One thing that will never fade though is that this club is now in my blood, it runs through my veins and whilst I may not have been there today, whilst I have breath in my body I will always be a Dagenham and Redbridge supporter and proud of it.

Im Forever Blowing Bubbles

What a mess. What a pure and unadulterated mess, made even worse by the fact it is totally of their own making. What ion earth is going on at West Ham?. Should I be gloating? No not really to be honest as a football fan I don't like to see any club in a mess. There is something about West Ham though that (unless you support Milwall I suppose) that makes you feel apart of the club even if you don't support them. Like the way Newcastle gets a lot of support from neutral fans, some of us feel this way about West Ham.

I'm not a West Ham fan but all my family are. Brought up on the trio of World Cup stars to the players that they had down the years. Brooking, Devonshire (What a tash that was!), Parks, Peters, Dicks, Mad Dog Martin, Bonds, Lampard Snr not forgetting Mr West Ham Booby Moore. These were the players my Dad and later on when he started to take me to football that I grew up watching. Ill admit I fell for another mistress in London drawn in by Villa, Ardiles and Hoddle but I never, ever forgot those players.

The next generation that came through Ferdinand, Cole, Lampard Jnr, Carrick. People talk about the youth from Man Utd but West Ham had just as good as group of players and its a real shame they weren't kept together. West Ham is known as the academy but where are these players nowadays? Where are the legends for the next generation of West Ham fans to look up to? Nowhere that's where. You see the problem was in my opinion that West Ham, through bad management and a lack of vision as well as unfair expectations have lost their way.

The way they have treated season ticket fans this year is appalling. How can you charge people upfront £800 as some of my family have spent, only to then offer tickets at a discounted rate weeks in advance yet offer them no refund?. That's appalling business practise. Yes people will say write to the club. Really and get a standard reply that says they don't care we have your money!. No thanks Ill save the ink. Then there is the manager. Not every ones cup of tea Ill give you that, but they cannot say they didn't know what they were getting when they signed him. I believe the reason they signed him is because he's cheap. Yes Zola was cheap but Grant had more experience and was probably wanting the same sort of package. If this was the case then why are they after 'bigger names' now. Why didnt they do it in the summer?

They have proceeded over the past few weeks to cut his feet from underneath him every chance they have got. This is a results business I get that, the team may also not be performing as well as it should be and some of that blame has to fall at the managers feet I get that as well, but the board must take some of the blame as well. They haven't exactly supported him in the transfer market have they?. They also haven't stopped all the sniping about him, they have allowed this to continue with name after name being touted around about his job. How has he reacted to this?. With dignity. Something that perhaps the board at West Ham need to have a look in the mirror and see if they can regain it. Lets be honest as well he is one game away from Wembley and also two games away from Europe. What fun that will be if he wins the League Cup Id love to be a fly on the wall at THAT boardroom meeting.

So whats the solution then? There isn't one its that simple. Not now, not at this moment in time the season is too far gone. The only thing they an do is back him in the transfer market and see what happens. If they go down so be it, it'll be painful but in the long run it may be the best thing that happens to the club. It will allow them to shift some of the stupid money of the books and get players that want to play, perhaps even blood some youngsters that will be the future of West Ham. and let the Phoenix grow from the ashes of whats there now. The other thing though is stop chasing the Olympic Stadium, how on earth are you going to fill it when you cant even fill the stadium you have? Crazy.

Take whatever is coming on the chin and then rebuild the club from the ground up. West Ham used to be a family club now in my opinion its a fractured club, losing its way with perhaps the worst PR people in the business. You have the most loyal fans in the country, they have put up with all types of crap down the years. They deserve better. Get a grip or as my favourite manager Keith Burkinshaw said about Spurs as he walked away for the last time 'There used to be a football club there'.

The Return Of The Messiah

Ive seen this so many times down the years. A player or manager returns to a club where they once had huge success and nine times out of ten it doesn't work. They cant quite reach the levels they had before. Of course John Still at our club is probably an exception, but it doesn't always work out. The latest to return is Kenny Dalgleish. I used to love watching him as a young lad and remember the haggard face when he quit Liverpool all those years ago. It seems a shame to me that he has gone back. I'm sure he is doing it for the right reasons but I'm not convinced it will work.

Dalgleish was part of an era long gone at Anfield. A club that dominated English football for decades that all the best players wanted to play for. Those day are gone. What they have now is a club, a former shadow of itself and the fans and the people at the club need to realise that before its too late. Its hard for anyone to accept that they aren't at the level they once were. We see it so many times with different sportsmen in all sports. There comes a time when you get over taken and this has happened to Liverpool. Until they accept this they will never move forward.

I grew up watching Liverpool in the late 70's and 80's. They not only dominated the domestic game they conquered Europe almost at will. They did this on foundations set by Bill Shankly and the way that he set the club up. The famous boot room. Shanks, Paisley, Fagan all sitting around and discussing the way the game should be played. Stuff of legend. You went to Liverpool not expecting to go straight into the first team but to play in the reserves for the first year, to earn your place in the first team. It wasn't a given and all the players signed knew this and were prepared to do it. I know the finacle rewards are far higher nowadays and players expect to play every week, but would they better for this experience rather than what they get now? I think they would.

Don't get me wrong there are players that deserve to go straight into the first team as they would improve it, but what about youngsters from the lower leagues? My guess is that most of them aren't interested in that. Is this me being unrealistic about the modern player? Perhaps but it worked at Liverpool and it worked for many years. The reason? The club was bigger than the player simple as that. I believe in the modern game manager's aren't given enough time. It takes time to turn a club around, to lay foundations that will lead to bigger and better things but in this 'we must have it and have it now' society we live in this isn't going to happen anymore.

So it begins, the constant changing of managers, the pay-offs and such forth and for what? The unrealistic expectations of supporters on their manager. I hope Kenny Dalgleish is a success at Liverpool I really do. I hope that they allow him to rebuild a broken club. To bring back that famous boot room where managers of the future are helped and bred and brought up to believe in what Liverpool FC stands for. Only then will they begin to regain their position in the game and satisfy the fans needs for what they have been spoilt with. The odds unfortunately are against him. As I said at the start it doesn't always work out and taints supporters memory's of what great players and servants these guys were for their clubs. Good luck Kenny, I believe you are going to need it.

Its A Thankless Task Being A Referee

Whats the hardest job in sport? The Manager? Nope, The Chairman? Nope, The centre forward? Nope, The goalkeeper got to be the goalkeeper? Nope. No more guesses? Shall I tell you? The Referee. Yes that man who wears black and has his parenthood called into question every week, and then gets told he doesn't know what he is doing. Ah the life of a referee isn't a very popular one is it?.

To be honest though as much as Ive shouted at one as much as the next person, there is no way I would be one thanks very much. Does that make me a hypocrite? Perhaps it does. The thing is though there is so much pressure on them to get it right first time that they have an absolutely thankless task. They have to make a split second decision in the heat of a game and not only that we expect them to get it right every single time. How many of us do our jobs and never make a mistake? None of us I bet. Yes sometimes they do get it horrifically wrong, England at the World Cup would be one of many examples but is it fair?

Are we expecting them to be superhuman and never get anything wrong? I think we are. There are some real shockers out there that struggle to follow the basic rules of the game but there are some excellent ones as well.  That gets forgotten doesn't it? How many times is the referee talked about after a game and its mentioned what a good game he had? Hardly ever. What does get forgotten though is that every time a referee gets surrounded by players in professional football whatever league its in this is then copied and repeated in football parks across the land by kids and adults. I have seen and heard some shocking things said to referee's in parks football. Then the managers complain that they cant get a get a referee to manager their games and you end up with a parent doing it and all the problems that brings.

I know Ive been there. Sunday morning football and having to referee a game and getting dogs abuse from both sets of parents and for what? £20 or £30? Is it worth it? We wonder why there is a lack of referees coming into the game and this is the reason why. There is always talk of ex-players doing the courses. Yeah right can you see Rooney or Terry being a referee? No me neither. I was always taught to respect the referee by the best Head teacher I ever had. His name was Ken Ashton. Those of a certain age will know who he is but those that don't here is a little history for you. He is the man that invented the Red and Yellow cards and was one of the most respected referees in the world.

As kids at school if any of us and I mean no matter how good a player you were talked back to the referee he would haul us off and that would be it. A bit extreme perhaps but it worked, we never talked back to the ref no matter how useless and incompetent he was. We were taught you just didn't do it. That's what is missing from today's game at all levels. Forget all the talk about technology and extra linesman the only way to sort this out and encourage more refs to enter the game is to show them respect. I know we had the respect campaign but it was an utter disaster, it worked for about oh 2 weeks, then it was forgotten about.

Personally I would like to see a mixture of what they have in rugby plus a little added extra. So if you argue with the ref over a decision you lose 10 yards at a free-kick. If you continue you are then sin-binned for 5 minutes. That would stop the crowding of refs by players trying to intimidate them. I would however allow the captain and the captain only to talk to the ref. If he makes an utter howler then when its reviewed after the game he will then be suspended for 2 games. That way its fair on everyone.

I am not a believer in a referee losing teams league titles and getting teams relegated. The players and the managers do that, not the referee, yes they will not give your team a penalty or a goal every now and then, but they will also do the same for YOU at some stage in a season. You have to remember that. It works out just about even over a season. So how about we give him a break every now and then? Its the one job in football that we could all do if we applied ourselves to it isn't, but its also the one job we wouldn't want to do as well.

The Sack Race

Half way through the season and the sackings have begun. The rumours have begun about who's going next and the bookies are making a fortune with people betting on it. Yes ladies and gentleman welcome to the sack race. Don't get me wrong there are clearly clubs where managers aren't doing what they are paid to do but lets be honest shouldn't other people take some of the blame as well?

It takes a lot to surprise me in football nowadays because I think Ive seen it all. The court cases, the players falling out of clubs drunk, the scandals with prostitutes, even sleeping with your teammates wife/girlfriend but some things still surprise me. The sacking of managers for no apparent reason. If you are in relegation trouble and you have had a shed load of money to spend and you screw it up, well sorry mate its your fault for bad buys and not getting it right. However there are two exceptions to this and I feel so sorry for them both.

Firstly Big Sam, lauded as a future England manager a few years ago, his sacking at Blackburn was ridiculous and there is no way Steve Kean didn't have anything to do with it. How that man can look himself in the mirror is beyond me. It goes some way to showing how badly the other managers think he has been treated when Steve Bruce comes out after beating Blackburn at the weekend and says 'That was for Big Sam'. The owners, who by the way obviously don't have a clue then release a press statement saying that they are going to buy Rolandinho. What? You having a laugh guys? AC Milan to Blackburn to play for a manager he has never heard of? Hold on my sides hurt. One word? Idiots. End of.

That leads me nicely onto that other idiot owner Mile Ashley. He treated Houghton like dirt. However if he was going to replace him with a 'Big Name' then perhaps I could understand it, slightly. So there we all are awaiting for the so called 'Big Name'  to be announced and its.........Alan Pardew on a 5 1/2 YEAR CONTRACT. This is the guy that has failed at West Ham, failed at Charlton and Southampton and you think he is going to push you onto bigger and better things. Hold on I haven't got a lot of ribs left after Blackburn. Once again? Idiot. End of.

There have been others as well, Burley at Crystal Palace, Ferguson at Preston to name a few and there will be more to come as well. Hodgson at Liverpool is apparently struggling, lets be honest Rafa didn't get them Champions League last year did he? He spent a load of money on average players and its a massive rebuilding job there before they can even consider getting into the top four again, and Houlier at Villa hasn't exactly covered himself with glory has he?. I'm all for changing a manager if it is clearly not working but I feel the expectations of fans and owners are a little unrealistic sometimes. Let me explain.

Just because you played in a higher League for a season doesn't mean you deserve to be there. You may have had an excellent run of results at the right time and with a little luck you got there. That doesn't mean you have reached your natural level, you may have over achieved. Managers need time to get things right, they cant all get it right first time and its unfair to expect them to. If your chairman gives them money and they screw up then its your right to have a go. If your players are not pulling their weight then feel free to have your say. However don't expect a miracle when there is no money to do so. You are in the position you are in because that is where you deserve to be. Its that simple really. Painful? perhaps but the truth hurts doesn't it?

Only a few teams can get promoted or win a league, and yes a few teams will be relegated as well. If your club spends money it doesn't have that is the fault of the owner, not the manager. Personally I would like people to start to get a little realistic and allow managers to build teams around home grown talent. The way the game is now that doesn't happen very often and it affects the game at all levels. Instant success is the order of the day. Except at one club I know. You may have heard of them? Dagenham and Redbridge. We don't spend money we don't have, we give young players a chance, and we have a legend of a manager who does what he does because he has been backed all the way. He also knows that we will support him whatever happens this season. He may frustrate us but no one and I mean no one can doubt the commitment and the belief that he has in our players. I guarantee as well that he will leave this club WHEN HE WANTS TO. So all you fans calling for his head or be moved to a director of football role, you don't know what you are talking about and you don't GET OUR CLUB. If we go down he stays. Its that simple. Have a look at some of the other clubs in the league and thank your lucky stars we aren't one of them. We\ are who we are and be proud of it, as the saying goes 'be careful what you wish for'.

Im porud of my club and the way its run. Can you honestly say that, that is what happens at your club?

My Top 5 Moments As A Dagger This Past Year

Yesterday I  told you about my 5 worst moments of the year following the Daggers. It seems only right though that I end it on a positive note. There have been many highlights this past year and narrowing them down to five wasn't easy. Some of you may agree some of you may not, but these are MY top 5 moments and I will give my reasons why as we go on. So lets get started.

Number 5: Aldershot (Away) 2-3

This was all about revenge for me. Beating them would go some way to absorb the pain I felt in my heart after the drubbing they gave us. The only problem was it would mean more pain for me but this time in my head. I was working late that night and as I left work I checked the score and we were losing 1-0. Great I thought as I got onto my hour long tube journey. At the other end I checked again and was even more disappointed to see that we were losing 2-1. As I waited for my bus I refreshed the text and saw we had equalised. A point was great but I wanted more. As I climbed the stairs of the bus I hit refresh and then it happened. In the dying moments we scored. Paul Benson had put us in front. I yelled with joy and fell down the stairs of the bus cutting my head open as I did so. People came running towards me but I didn't care we had beaten Aldershot away, revenge was mine, well plus three stitches and some explaining to do to the wife but hey we won didn't we!.

Number 4: Carlise (Away) 2-0

The Green kit, oh how it was embraced with love and joy when we all first saw it wasn't it? What do you mean we all hated, Ive not heard that before. Anyway we all thought it was a Jonah kit for us and after we broke our duck away in the..........oh yeah our home kit, oh well it didn't matter did it?. This was when I finally believed that we could stay in this league if I'm honest. It was a superb all round performance and we battered them. What an unexpected result and unfortunately although we weren't to play again this year it was a great way to end our year. Hopefully we can carry it on into next year and stay up.

Number 3: Swindon (Home) 2-1

The loss of Paul Benson left us short of goals. Not to worry Bas Savage was here with his blue and red hair. We bossed the game from start to finish and as John Still said it was our biggest league victory. What a day, what a header. We took on an ex-Premier league side at home and beat them. Not only that we played them off the park in the process. It was a truly wondrous game and I will never forget it. Us beating Swindon at home in a League match absolute quality.They arrived expecting to turn us over and the boys did us proud that day. I hope there are many more of these type of wins to come. This told all League 1 sides not to underestimate us. If they do they may get a surprise coming their way.

Number 2: Morecambe (Home) 6-0 (Away) 2-1 Play-off Semi Final

I know its two games but I class it as 1 because it was over two legs, plus I think they were probably our most important games of the last year. These games stand out because it was so unexpected. After two tight league games we again expected a close game. I'm not sure what happened that day even now. Did they freeze? Were we untouchable? I don't know I think an little bit of both to be honest. We were amazing that day at Victoria Road truly everything we did worked for us. The return at their place was memorable for the pitch invasion at the end. I have never, ever in may years witnessed anything like it. Fans from both sides milling together on the pitch and shaking hands. It was a sight to behold and a wonderful feeling. We were at Wembley and they had won their last ever game at their ground. A better set of results I couldn't have hoped for.

Number 1: Rotherham (Wembley) 3-2

It couldn't be anything else could it? As I made my way down Wembley way surrounded by Rotherham supporters I was very nervous. Then all of a sudden this guy dressed head to toe in Red and White appears and asks for a photo. Why not I thought. We took the photo and shook hands wishing each other luck for the day ahead. I went hoping to see us score. For us to win, well words fail me and I will carry those memories to my grave. From John Still getting chocked up at the after match interview, Arkwright crying on the big screen, to the day itself with my Dad, Father-in-law and Daughter.All dressed from head to toe in Yellow. Lets just say I wont forget what was a truly wonderful occasion. Whatever happens this year they cant take that away from us. Lets be honest how many teams can say they have seen their side lift a trophy at Wembley? Not many I bet.

So there we go then my top 5 moments from last season. I would guess most people have number 1 and 2 but what about the others? Let me know what you do and don't agree with.

Happy New Year All

Anthony 

My Worst Moments Of The Year

Its coming to the end of the year and its put me in a reflective mood. So to end the year I am going to look back at my best and worst moments of following the Daggers this calendar year. To start with though I shall start with the worst and tomorrow I shall do the best.

It wasn't a bad year if I'm honest but the following stick out like a sore thumb. They were the moments that I personally want to consign to the history bin of hell and hope that I never have to relive these moments ever again. So lets get this list started then.

Number 5: Notts County (Home) 0-3

This pained me greatly if I'm honest. Notts manipulated the League and bought the title last year. On a freezing cold night at home at the end of January I sat there and watched us get beat. To make matters worse Lee Hughes wound up our fans every chance he got. I'm not condoning the throwing of tea at him or the fan that offered him out ( that made me chuckle though as the bloke was huge). Its the way he took the opportunity to shove it down our throats every chance he got. The club in my opinion has no class, they spent money they didn't have, and spent it wildly. To lose to them at home in the way that we did really annoyed me. I wanted to beat them more than anyone else last year but it wasn't to be.

Number 4: Scott Griffiths

This disappointed me to be honest in the way it was done. I don't blame Scott at all for going, he left us for a Championship side at the time and I wished him well when he went. The problem I had was with the timing of it. His agent started spouting off and turned the lads head and he was gone. He didn't go in January though did he? No he went before that on loan and that meant we were sort at left back until we could sign someone else in January. Sometimes I wish the club would say no until the transfer window and look out  for our needs first. To make a player wait a few weeks wouldn't hurt him would it?. Good luck Scott with wherever your future lies, I just wished it was still with us.

Number 3: Cheltenham (Home) 0-2

This was not how I was supposed to spend my Christmas. I got the corporate tickets as a Christmas present, delivered with a letter from John Still as well. I was really looking forward to this. We arrived early and sat and enjoyed the meal with the people on the table who happened to be Cheltenham fans, a bit of banter ensued and we took our seats to watch the game. They to be honest didn't expect much as they were fighting at the wrong end of the table and had been on a bad run of form. Then guess what happened? We didn't even turn up. We were awful that day and were totally outplayed, outfought and overran. We were diabolical. The Cheltenham fans next to us couldn't believe their luck and to be fair to them they didn't rub it in too much, I'm not sure in their position I would have been so gracious, they offered handshakes and best wishes at the end of the game and I thought that was as bad as it was going to get. How wrong was I!.

Number 2: Paul Benson leaving.

Before I start I don't blame him going I really don't, the timing could have been better, but for him it was the best move and the fulfilment of a dream. Good luck to him. For me it was the end of an era simple as that, He had been on our journey with us from Non-League to League 1. A fantastic servant of this club. Will it mean we will get relegated without him? Who knows the season isn't over yet is it! For me though it was a huge loss when he went and we miss him more than he will ever know. The way he led the line, the goals he scored, I'm going to stop now as I'm getting all misty eyed.

Number 1: Aldershot (Home) 2-5

This was bad, really bad, so bad Ive even been to the doctor to get some memory erasing tablets to stop me waking up in cold sweats. I had badgered a few blokes I work with to come and watch us and they agreed to do so and picked this game. What a nightmare!. Jamie Day made his debut and for the first 2 minutes I thought we had found the replacement for Scott Griffiths we needed. Then he had his first touch and all my hopes evaporated like yesterdays turkey sandwich. It wasn't just him though the whole team that night was bad. It has to go down as our worst performance of the last few years. We were that bad. I stood behind the goal watching them score when they felt like it and they felt like it often, We were all over the place. Arrrgggggghhhhhh it still hurts.

So there you are then my worst 5 moments from the last calendar year of being a Dagger. Have I missed any? Or are some of your memories worse than mine?.

David Beckham A True Legend

When I heard that David Beckham was going to be awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Sports Personality Of The Year Awards tonight I must admit that I was a little bemused. The reason for this is that when you think how long someone like Bobby Robson or Bobby Charlton took to be awarded it, it seemed to me to be a little crash. However after watching it tonight I totally changed my mind.

Ive been lucky enough to have met him twice. The first time he made me look an idiot, it wasn't his fault I just happened to be the goalkeeper playing against him as a kid. He mugged me at least 4 times and I got such the hump I wanted to come off. No one had done the things he was doing with a football to me before. I was a good keeper as well I was on Portsmouth's books as a kid playing with Darren Anderton and I thought Id seen it all. Oh no he was different class even then. All the parents stood there in awe, as did most of my team mates which didn't help me much, as he seemed to score at will. I had no idea who he was then, but could see he was totally different class. It was only when we got back to Portsmouth that Jimmy Greenhoff, Peter Osgood  and Alan Ball started talking about this kid called Beckham that we took note of the name.

The second time was an even bigger shock. We had taken my Mum and Dad to dinner for their anniversary. They had never been in a limo so we booked one and went to Smiths. We were shown to our table and as I sat down in he walked. My Dad couldn't see him as he had his back to him and when he saw my mouth drop open he came over and shook my hand. Gobsmacked a mumbled something like 'I love you' well it may well have been I couldn't speak. My Dad saw him stood up and chatted away for a good 10 minutes too him. Now seeing as he was there for his Nans birthday with Victoria and his kids, that to me showed what a legend he is. He spoke to my Mum then invited Victoria over as well and they BOTH chatted for a few minutes to us all. He asked for no photos as he had his kids there which was fine by us.

He has been a style icon as well as a footballer. Yes he fell out with Sir Alex but he has been welcomed back with open arms since hasn't he. Put his name on the back of a club shirt and the sales increase 200%. How many players can do that? Not many. He puts bums on seats and Ive watched him live many times down the years. You think he's having a quiet game then bang your one nil down. Id pay to watch him every week. When we talk about the players of the future we cant go to far wrong with showing them Beckham in his pomp, plus hes English as well. We should promote that more than trying to knock him down all the time like some do.

I cannot think of a footballer that has crossed all ages like he has in my lifetime. To go from being the most hated man in England after the 1998 World Cup to how the nation regards him now is some achievement. He has played for three of the biggest clubs in the World and won trophies at two of them. Some achievement. To me he was the best player this country had produced since Bobby Moore. He may have been criticised for his lack of pace but he was never an out and out winger. He was a play maker the like we hadn't seen for many years. He could stick a ball on a forwards head from 40 yards without looking. It was instinctive.

He had his detractors who said he was to busy chasing the showbiz lifestyle and that his wife controlled him. Well I found her funny and smart and incredibly good looking ( I offered too take her to the local chippy but she politely declined. Well it was worth an ask surely?). I guess what I'm trying to say is that for me he is the kind of footballer that I want my kids to look up to. Not the Rooney's and Terry's of this world. He didn't ask for anything over than to play for his country and his club. He never asked the fans for anything and he always gave everything on the pitch.

When he got that award tonight the standing ovation said it all. Then you looked at him and he was welling up. That's how much that meant to him. That's what it meant to him too play for the clubs he did and England and it was a great touch mentioning Preston North End as well. So Beckham well deserved on your reward mate, I was wrong to doubt that it was right to give it to you. Whatever you now decide to do with your life after you finish playing football I wish you well and happiness. This word is used quite a lot but tonight I saw a true Legend and I cant think of any other way of putting it.