Daggers beware false dawn

Thursday, 02/02/2012

by Ricky Butler, Shoot's Dagenham blogger

After the false dawn of a six-match unbeaten run over Christmas and the New Year, I am not about to get my hopes up after the come-from-behind win over Rotherham on Saturday lifted us out of the relegation zone.

We looked like a team that had accepted its fate in an abject first half performance, but we somehow turned things around to end a run of four straight defeats.

I am not sure exactly what John Still said during the interval, but I hope he repeats it before every match for the rest of the season.

A slight change of formation, with Abu Ogogo moving into midfield, certainly made the difference and maybe this could be the turning point in our season. Maybe.

Of course, the 3-2 scoreline had a certain ring to it, as it was a repeat of the play-off final against the same opposition back in 2010. That win at Wembley, which took us to the promise land of League One, has been seen by many as the death of the club, as we have never been the same since and now face the prospect of a second successive relegation.

Last year was all about enjoying the League One experience, knowing we were punching above our weight, and going back down was not a disaster. But we do not have that luxury this time. Quiet simply we have to stay up.

Dropping out of the league now will probably mean we will never return, as we will lose more good players and will not be able to replace them.

Plus the quality of clubs in the Conference is far stronger than it was when we were last there. Of course we do still have the infrastructure of a non-league club, and would no doubt survive down there, but having experienced five years in the Football League, I am sure no one at the club wants to see us drop out now.

The transfer window shut on Tuesday, and thankfully we did not lose anyone, although loaness Ahmed Adbullah and Eoin Wearen have retuned to parent club West Ham.

But through all the hype is the reality that the window is a death sentence for smaller clubs. Contracts mean nothing anymore as a big offer will convince any club to sell, and clubs like us have no choice. We either sell or go under.

The sooner the window is abolished the better, but of course that will never happen as it creates too much money for the people who need it least.

Back to matters on the pitch, and we continue our survival bid with a trip to our old friends from Morecambe on Saturday, where we will visit their new ground for the first time.

Despite my foot still being in plaster I will be making the trip, after I managed convinced a friend to do the driving for me on the understanding we can go to the arcades afterwards, so Emerson and me will be back in the press box for the first time in 2012.

Of course I am confident we will win as we are reaching the point in the season where we usually hit top form. A good run in February and March 2008 was enough to keep us up in our first season in the league, while a similar run last season almost kept us in League One. So, three points it is then...

Come on you Daggers!

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