Hill Quits Daggers
By Nath Auty April 5 2004
Garry Hill has ended his 5-year association with Dagenham & Redbridge this weekend, following a disappointing 4-0 defeat at home to Gravesend and Northfleet.
By Nath Auty April 5 2004
Garry Hill has ended his 5-year association with Dagenham & Redbridge this weekend, following a disappointing 4-0 defeat at home to Gravesend and Northfleet.
Hill had originally announced last week that he was stepping down at the end of the season, but Saturday’s defeat has summed up an incredibly disappointing season for the Daggers.
He was appointed at Victoria Road in May 1999, after successful spells with non-league duo Heybridge Swifts and St. Albans City. He took Dagenham to a top three finish in his first season with the club, before missing out on promotion to the Football League a year later in an incredible title race with Boston United – the eventual champions.
Last season, Dagenham reached the inaugural Conference play-offs, sneaking into the final fifth spot, where they defeated Morecambe in a penalty shoot-out in the semi-finals. However, they lost out on promotion yet again, going down 2-1 in extra time of the Final at Stoke City’s Britannia Stadium to promoted Doncaster Rovers.
Bearing in mind these past three seasons, Dagenham have had an awful season so far (perhaps a play-off hangover?) and currently lie in 13th spot, seventeen points off the play-offs with just four games remaining.
Saturday’s 4-0 drubbing by Gravesend, who are now up into the top half of the table, was the last straw for Hill. "It's been a big shock for the players with me making that announcement last week," he told BBC Sport.
"The second-half performance today was disappointing and in the interests of everyone I think it's right to go now." This coming after his announcement last week, in which he said he was planning on stepping down in the summer.
"It's been a disappointing season and I've brought a lot of money into the club with all the Cup runs but only spent £11,000," he said then.
Dagenham, who have won only once in their last seven League games, though drawing four of those, now have to decide whether to appoint a permanent manager soon, or wait until the end of the season in order to prepare for next season’s Conference campaign.
They entertain Morecambe on Saturday, the first of their four remaining games, and it’ll be interesting to see how the Daggers fare in terms of results between now and the end of the season.
He was appointed at Victoria Road in May 1999, after successful spells with non-league duo Heybridge Swifts and St. Albans City. He took Dagenham to a top three finish in his first season with the club, before missing out on promotion to the Football League a year later in an incredible title race with Boston United – the eventual champions.
Last season, Dagenham reached the inaugural Conference play-offs, sneaking into the final fifth spot, where they defeated Morecambe in a penalty shoot-out in the semi-finals. However, they lost out on promotion yet again, going down 2-1 in extra time of the Final at Stoke City’s Britannia Stadium to promoted Doncaster Rovers.
Bearing in mind these past three seasons, Dagenham have had an awful season so far (perhaps a play-off hangover?) and currently lie in 13th spot, seventeen points off the play-offs with just four games remaining.
Saturday’s 4-0 drubbing by Gravesend, who are now up into the top half of the table, was the last straw for Hill. "It's been a big shock for the players with me making that announcement last week," he told BBC Sport.
"The second-half performance today was disappointing and in the interests of everyone I think it's right to go now." This coming after his announcement last week, in which he said he was planning on stepping down in the summer.
"It's been a disappointing season and I've brought a lot of money into the club with all the Cup runs but only spent £11,000," he said then.
Dagenham, who have won only once in their last seven League games, though drawing four of those, now have to decide whether to appoint a permanent manager soon, or wait until the end of the season in order to prepare for next season’s Conference campaign.
They entertain Morecambe on Saturday, the first of their four remaining games, and it’ll be interesting to see how the Daggers fare in terms of results between now and the end of the season.
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