Daggers fans taking to Burnett

With Wayne Burnett’s appointment, it’s all change at Dagenham – and I’m not just talking about the termination of the District Line.

Supporters seem refreshed and excited by a new regime that promises more free-flowing football at Victoria Road. John Still’s departure heralds a new dawn in deep Essex and that’s something that’s both intriguing and scary in equal length.

Notably it’s the first time we’ve had a change of manager since 2004, when Gary Hill departed for John Still’s second coming. The times under Still were undoubtedly better than anyone could have imagined. Promotion from the Conference to the Football League and then from League Two into League One was unbelievable. Nobody thought we could do it, but we did. And that was credit to both John Still and Terry Harris for working unparalleled magic in their time here.

The pair will always be remembered as legends, and rightly so.

Whatever any of our supporters thought of tactics, player handling or dodgy loan signings, no one can deny those eight years were the best of our lives. The rise through the divisions, the endless production line of top quality youngsters, and the sale of players that raised funds to keep the club afloat. That was John Still. That is why he is an icon and a legend of the club.

To the surprise of some, the world continues and Dagenham & Redbridge move on. On the same day as Still’s vacation of the hotseat, the white smoke bellowed from the Victoria Road chimneys and Wayne Burnett was sworn in as our new leader in chief. It always seemed like the plan that Burnett would one day replace Stilly, but no one expected it to come this soon. It didn’t matter though. The time for fretting had passed and a new era was about to begin.

The start of a new chapter in our history promised more passing football and a new enthusiasm around the club. And with just under a month of that new chapter underway, it’s started solidly if unspectacularly. Burnett’s tenure has begun with a win, three draws and a defeat – which is credible given the time he has had with the squad and the opposition we’ve faced.

What I personally like about Burnett (other than his dapper touchline fashion sense), is his boldness in decision making. When something is wrong or something isn’t working, he isn’t afraid to change it. John Still was heavily criticised at times for making the wrong substitutions, but Burnett appears to be adept at making a change when it’s needed. The introduction of Louis Dennis at half-time last weekend in particular swung the game in our favour and saw us take a point against a very good Burton side.

It’s just one of the few things that have already endeared Burnett to Daggers fans. His fashion sense, his boldness, winning against a side managed by Steve Evans, and his straight-talking nature has won favour with the supporters.

One thing that fans have to bear in mind though, is that “total football” isn’t everything. Playing football on the ground is all well and good, but we need the creativity and penetration to go with it. Should that not be there, then we could be in trouble.

But for now the early signs are good. This is a long-term project not a short-term fix, regardless of his current title of ‘interim manager’.

If we can reach the magical 50-point mark, then we can begin to look forward to the start of next season and the exciting times ahead.

Wayne Burnett: We’re really Inter’im.

By Nick Murphy, FanZone’s Dagenham and Redbridge blogger. Follow him on Twitter at @NickMurphyDRFC – and don’t forget to follow @FanZone too!