The Vanarama National League

Saturday 29th December 2018

Kick Off: 3.00 pm

 

Stadium:
The Chigwell Construction Stadium, Victoria Road, Dagenham, RM10 7XL

 

Telephone:
0208 592 1549

 

Club Colours:
Red and Blue

 

Nickname:
The Daggers

 

 

Peter Taylor is the current Gaffer at Victoria Road. With respect, Peter has had more clubs than a professional golfer as a manager including a game as Caretaker for England, England Under 21 for six years in 2 spells, England Under 20’s, Southend, Leicester, Brighton, Crystal Palace and Stevenage amongst others.

 

As an old-fashioned out and out winger he won four England caps and had impressive playing spells at Crystal Palace and Tottenham.

 

 

I once found a nice and straightforward way to get to the ground courtesy of the now sadly relocated Al’s Tours. Get onto the A12 from either the A406 North Circular Road or the M11 signposted towards Chelmsford. Continue on the A12 until you reach the Moby Dick junction and turn right onto the A1112 signposted Dagenham. Stay on this road even when it insects with the A124 keep looking for the A112 (Rainham Road) signs. You will eventually see the floodlights on the right-hand side. Turn into Victoria Road and the ground is at the end of the road.

 

Another option – Exit the M25 at Junction 31 and take the A13 (Central London). Exit the A13 and head for signpost Dagenham/Dagenham East. Onto the A1306. At the second set of lights turn right onto the B178 (Ballards Road). At the end of this road, you will come to a large roundabout, (The Bull). Turn left into Rainham Road. passing Dagenham East tube station on the left and Victoria Road awaits on the left.

 

 

Street parking is plentiful as these days the club car park is officials members and invited guests only.

 

 

Take the District (green) Underground line to Dagenham East. Come out of the station and turn Left, Victoria Road is about 400 yards and on your left, the ground is a further 100 yards down Victoria Road.

 

 

We will be made welcome in the Dagenham & Redbridge Social Club. The downstairs bar is where most of the away supporters tend to head and there is a charge of 50p at the

 

door. For pubs, a few minutes walk away the Pipe Major is a Marstons near to the station while the Eastbrook is a short walk further down the Rainham Road. My band of brothers will have a few in London Town before heading down on the tube in time for kick off.

 

 

The main stand or the Carling Stand which replaced the splendid old wooden grandstand runs for 3/4 of the pitch and was completed in the closed season 2001. It is a fairly low front loading structure, which has room for about 800. Its awkward neighbour which occupies the remaining 1/4 of this side is called the Family Stand. To the left is The A13 Steel Stand which was completed in 2009. It houses the away fans and has room for 1,200. The structure dominates the ground and the views from it are excellent. The remainder of the ground is terracing with the open Bury or Clock End behind the goal and the Popular Side covered terrace opposite the main stand.

 

 

Barnet supporters have the option of seating or standing on Saturday.

 

Away Terrace – 

 

Adults: £15
Concession: £10
Junior: £8
Under 10: Free

 

A13 Steel Stand (Seating) –

 

Adults: £21
Concession: £15

Junior: £12

Under 10: £2

 

 

 

Our last visit was in February 2016 when goals from ‘Admiral’ Nelson and Luke Gambin won the game 2-0 in front of 1,728.

 

I go back a long time for a visit to Victoria Road.

 

I recall ‘Mad’ Stevie Ragan the fearless Barnet frontman in the early 1980s creating a divot the size of Essex after a sliding tackle and then throwing it at a section of Daggers fans who dared to taunt him – brave boys indeed. The Dagenham tannoy announcer informing the crowd that Cyril Regis and Glen Hoddle were in the starting line-up for Barnet and not their younger brothers David and Carl.

 

At Underhill in 2004, the 5-0 demolition of the Daggers featured the Nicky Bailey “Bees Goal of the Season” screamer live on Sky TV.

 

Very tasty 1960’s ‘Puppet On A String’ barefoot babe Sandy Shaw was born in Dagenham. Footballs famous is well represented with two ex England managers originating from Dagenham – Terry Venables and the late great Sir Alf Ramsey.

 

The most famous marching Band in the civilised world are also locals, The Dagenham Girl Pipers who were the only un-amplified act at the Knebworth Open Air Rock Festival in 1978!

 

Henry Ford’s company bought acres and acres of land in Dagenham in the early 1920s and in 1925 started to build the massive car plant still in existence. The metal to build the roofing covering the side terracing at the Victoria ground was donated by Ford in 1967 and it was estimated that there was enough metal to produce 23 Ford Capris.