Mark first made a name for himself as a defender at Southern League Dartford in the 80s before moving onto Enfield who were relegated to the Isthmian League in 1990. He twice found himself a runner-up whilst with the E’s as our very own Redbridge Forest and then Woking the following year proved just too good. Peter Taylor was cutting his managerial teeth with both the Darts and Enfield at this time but, perhaps more tellingly for what was to follow, his assistant was a certain Terry Harris. Whilst at Southbury Road Keeno played alongside several other names that may be familiar to Dagenham supporters, such as Mark Kane, Pat Staunton, and top-scorer Graham Westley.

After leaving Enfield, Mark went on to play for Heybridge Swifts and St. Albans under Garry Hill before arriving at the Daggers following half a season with the Iron. Garry was most definitely in favour of signing players he knew with several of St. Albans’ side following him to Victoria Road, and he obviously knew the qualities Keen would bring to the promotion push.

His first start in a Daggers shirt came at Carshalton in an incredibly boring 1-1 draw, just days after the superb 3-1 win at title rivals St. Albans. Restricted mainly to substitute appearances, he was often brought on in an attacking role when a change of approach was required. His first major impact on a game was in the return game against, yes them again, St. Albans when he came off the bench to inspire the side to a 2-1 victory. However, it was against Farnborough five weeks later that he earnt hero status.

Finding ourselves 2-0 down with time ebbing away it seemed there was about to be another twist in the title race. With our loss at Aldershot and subsequent draw at Enfield a few weeks previously, nerves were fraying all around the ground, but Keeno had other ideas. Sent on for Matt Jones into a 3-pronged attack with Shipp and Cobb, he netted two goals and then set up Cobby for the winner in one of the finest comebacks seen at Victoria Road.

He wasn’t finished there. On the day that we were hoping to seal the title away at Hampton and Richmond Borough, goalkeeper Paul Newell was sent off as we led 1-0 with ten minutes left of the first half. Without a recognised keeper on the bench, Keeno was pressed into service. He could do nothing about goals either side of half-time despite an admirable performance, and even after the further sending off of Dominic Naylor, the Daggers came back to win 3-2 and seal the title in truly exceptional style.

Everybody was probably expecting Mark to be one of the close-season departures given his age and the promotion, but he actually started the first match back in the Conference away at Leigh RMI. This time he was back in defence as pre-season injuries left us with only 4 fit defenders but, of course, he scored the first goal in a 2-1 win. He actually went on to become a key squad member that season, scoring vital goals in a 4-4 draw at Forest Green, a 2-0 win at Stevenage and a 3-1 victory over Hayes in the 2nd game of an amazing FA Cup run.

Not content with his role as a defender, he reprised his goalkeeping exploits away to Morecambe at the end of the season. With Roberts sent off, his first task was to pick the ball out of the net from the resulting penalty. However, with the game now poised at 3-2, he incredibly saved a second penalty to maintain the lead and secure a 3rd place finish.

In total Mark played 45 matches for the Daggers, scoring 6 goals in surely one of the quickest ever elevations to legendary status you will find. He went on to play for Chelmsford City before hanging up his boots.

Accepting an insurance pay out, Robbo probably consigned himself to never taking part in a football league match again, but at the age of 38 that dream finally came true as he took his place between the sticks for the Daggers at Stockport County on August 11 2007. Only a late goal from substitute Liam Dickinson ruined his return. Since then Robbo has proved his worth as arguably the finest goalkeeper in the fourth tier of English football.

Prior to Roberts’ arrival in 2000, Paul Newell wore the number one jersey during the 1999-2000 Ryman Premier League winning season. Paul’s contribution was significant; his reputation enhanced by one of the finest back four’s in the club’s history. It was perhaps then a surprise that Garry Hill opted to relinquish Newell of his goalkeeping duties at the end of this sensational campaign.

But Newell’s departure paved the way for Roberts’ reign. Any successful team requires a top goalkeeper, and the Daggers success in recent years has depended in no small part to Robbo. His absence from the team, either through injury or suspension, provides a painful reminder of the void he will leave when he eventually hangs up his gloves.

When Paul Gothard made a popular return to play second fiddle to Robbo, it did finally appear that we had some depth in this area of the squad. But how do you keep a good ‘keeper happy if he’s just sitting on the bench waiting for his chance? Goths soon emigrated and is now playing for Auckland City in New Zealand. We’ve since had the likes of Naisbitt, Hogan, Thompson and now Lewington all challenge for the number 1 spot, to no avail.

Robbo has also been a tremendous hit with the fans, both home and away. Very rarely will you hear a bad word said against Tony at matches or through internet forums. Sure, he’ll rile opposing supporters with his competitive zeal, but equally he’ll take any verbal abuse he receives on the chin. Most of the time, Robbo’s applause towards rival fans at the end of matches will be reciprocated. He’s a big personality and the game needs more of them.

Despite being a Legends piece, we (try) to be objective here at 9-men.co.uk, and it would be fair to say that Robbo’s had one or two memorable wobbles over the years. A failed attempt to dribble past an opponent resulted in a soft Morecambe goal in a thrilling 3-2 victory for the Daggers in 2001. Yet even calamitous moments such as this, as well as being lobbed from almost 40 yards in a Conference game against Southport in 2000, would only bring a brief murmur of discontent from supporters, such has been his lasting positive impact at the club.

Forever the centre of attention, it is perhaps fitting to finish on some FA Cup trivia, a competition where Robbo has certainly left his mark. Not only is he the only ‘keeper to score an FA Cup goal in the competition’s 128-year history, but he is the only goalie to have been sent off in the opposition box after locking horns with Peter Clarke at Southend in January 2008. I doubt any goalkeeper will ever replicate that feat!

It was a tremendous coup for the Daggers; a measure of just how far they had progressed in the two years since Garry Hill’s arrival from St Alban’s City. Just 12 months before Stein’s arrival, the Reds had won the Ryman League championship amassing 101 points in the process. Expectations of a solid mid-table first season finish in the Football Conference were surpassed as the Daggers defied expectations to finish third.

It was just this sort of progression and ambition that could now lure the likes of Stein to Victoria Road. Starting out as a trainee at Luton Town, Stein’s first major break came in 1988 as he moved for £300,000 to QPR. But it was his prolific form at Stoke City in the early nineties that brought Chelsea sniffing. A subsequent £1.5m brought him to Stamford Bridge in 1993. A year later, Stein would play at Wembley as Chelsea reached the FA Cup final, only to lose 4-0 to Manchester United. He eventually left the Bridge in 1998 and had spells at Bournemouth and Luton Town before winding up at Victoria Road.

The ruthless efficiency that allowed Stein to command almost £2m in career transfer fees dovetailed perfectly with the skilful and energetic Junior McDougald. A perfect case of opposites attracting, this duo together with the muscle of Danny Shipp, formed a formidable squad of strikers at that time. No one player is bigger than the team, but it’s perhaps no surprise that Stein’s presence coincided with the Daggers’ highest ever position in the Nationwide Conference in 2002/03.

And 2003/04 began in equally impressive style; a hat-trick against local rivals Barnet and two against Morecambe meant Stein netted five goals in the opening four league games. For it all to implode in the blink of an eye during one fateful afternoon against Telford United in September 2003 left a bitter taste of what could have been.

Allegations of racist comments from then manager Garry Hill plunged the club into a bitter race row, eventually leading to the departures of Stein and team mate Mark Smith. Despite Hill vehemently denying the accusations, it was clear the love affair with the Daggers No. 10 was over. With rumours that Leon Braithwaite was also heading for the exit door, it appeared a mass exodus was on the cards.

Eventually Braithwaite stayed but the damage had been done and the Daggers never fully recovered that season. Ten defeats in 21 home games culminated in a disastrous 13th place finish for a side that many bookies had tipped to be title contenders at the start of the year.

The diminutive striker’s presence was sorely missed for the remainder of the campaign. Hill brought in Chris Moore from Northwood at the turn of the year, who finished the season as top scorer on ten goals, merely highlighting the void left by Stein.

It’s tough to single out individual memories from such a glittering spell, but a hat-trick at Broadhall Way of all places to defeat bitter rivals Stevenage Borough still brings a smile. And for me, Stein’s clinical nature when through on goal can be summed up in one sodden evening at Dover Athletic. A largely uneventful evening was settled by a deft left-footed finish that gave the East Londoners all three points. The touch of a Premier League striker.

Younger Daggers will remember Ted as the man who led the club to the FA Trophy Final in 1997 after assembling a squad on a shoestring. During the close season, he set about removing the expensive and mainly northern-based signings of his predecessor Graham Carr and replacing them with cheaper local lads gleaned from the club’s reserve side and his extensive contact list. Just to give you an example, the side featured the likes of David Jacques who had been released by Romford of the Essex Senior League, and John Stimson who had been playing park football. At the time he was quick to credit the players rather than himself:

“As far as I’m concerned it’s the players’ final. We have a wonderful set of lads at Dagenham who work for each other. The same goes for our backroom staff – a superb team.”

Against all odds he led the club to a fourth placed finish in the Isthmian League and became the oldest manager to lead his side out at Wembley aged 68, a massive twenty-three years after his last visit. Quite how he managed it is anybody’s guess but it seemed to be destiny that he would get his hands on the cup. After surviving an onslaught at Morecambe and winning the replay 2-1 at Victoria Road in sodden conditions, squeaking through the quarter-final courtesy of a goal from Tony Rogers’ shin, not to mention the epic 3-match semi-final victory over Gloucester, there was no fairytale ending when an extra-time goal handed Woking a 1-0 victory they scarcely deserved. Looking back, the fairytale was just being there in the first place.

His career before this final hurrah was littered with silverware, starting with the Athenian League title with Leyton in 1964. This triumph attracted the attentions of the Daggers and so began one of the best relationships in the history of the club. Little over a year after taking the reigns, he led the club to four cup wins in the London Senior Cup, Essex Senior Cup, London Charity Cup and Mithras Cup. His penchant for Wembley visits with the Daggers were always bittersweet, the first two visits in the seventies also ending in Amateur Cup final defeat.

It was during this first stint at Victoria Road that he began to earn his reputation as a fearsome man who demanded the very best from his charges. Woe betide anybody who stepped out of line – we have heard stories of a trialist turning up a few minutes late in the 1968 close season only to be reduced to a quivering wreck by Ted’s paint-peeling beration!

Upon leaving the Daggers, Ted took over at Bishops Stortford and set about building a squad full of talent. Visiting Wembley with the Blues was a much happier experience for Ted as they came away 4-1 victors in the Amateur Cup final, with a certain John Still at the heart of defence. John has always been quick to heap praise on his former mentor:

“He taught me the importance of discipine, and that playing for the team was of paramount importance. I’ve seen so many players learn how to play to their maximum under his guidance”

Two other cups were bagged that season before Ted sought a new challenge at Enfield. An agonising second place Isthmian League finish was not enough to keep his services though and he spent the second half of 1975/76 extricating Leytonstone from a perilous situation at the foot of the table.

Maybe he felt there was unfinished business a Enfield and he returned to the club to lead them to three Isthmian League titles in four seasons which included a record 110 point haul in the 1977/78 season. A further spell with the Daggers followed before his second improbable relegation escape, this time with Hendon. His hunger for winning was not satisfied however and he returned to manage Leytonstone/Ilford to the Isthmian League title in 1988/89. The amount of trophies he won is frankly amazing.

And so back with the Daggers, just shy of his 70th birthday, Ted finally brought the curtain down on his glittering career. He delivered his final piece of silverware, the Essex Senior Cup in 1998 and also gave us the signings of Paul Cobb, Danny Shipp, Lee Matthews, Lee Goodwin, Tim Cole, Mark Janney to name just a few pieces of the jigsaw he had begun to assemble for incoming Garry Hill. It is easy to forgive him signings of the ilk of John Nicholson, Danny Hazle or Mitchell Springett when you consider just how many great players he brought to the club, and just how many memories he gave us. Thanks Ted.

No stranger to Victoria Road (John managed the club after its incarnation in the early 90s) John’s first two seasons brought steady progress; the Daggers just breaking into the Conference Premier’s top 10 by May 2006. No mean feat given the youthful make-up of the new-look Daggers squad, with John clearing out much of the dead wood left by Garry’s final season signings.

It was 2006-07 that the footballing world stopped and took notice of John’s young charges, as they romped to the Conference title that year with a whopping 95 points. Oxford Utd were the nearest challengers, falling 14 points shy of the East Londoners. What made this even more impressive was the lack of resources at John’s disposal. Undeterred by losing Chris Moore to Brentford in the previous close season, as well as Craig Mackail-Smith and Shane Blackett at the midway point in the championship-winning campaign, John kept faith with the squad he had, transforming the Daggers into the most feared opposition in non-league football.

Life in the Football League has had its fair share of ups and downs but John’s philosophy of giving talented, enthusiastic youngsters a go, has never wavered. While many managers shy away from blooding youngsters, John has held his nerve. In turn, he has unearthed many hidden gems, bringing great financial gains to the club. Just last season, a bright-eyed 19-year-old Dominic Green became the latest Dagger to move to London Road in a big-money deal after only a handful of appearances in a Daggers shirt. That season, John’s boys overachieved yet again, finishing 8th in League 2. In the process, John cemented his position, if it were needed, as a true legend at Victoria Road.

As Daggers fans we have become accustomed to success over the last ten years or so, throwing the form book firmly out of the window and hugely overachieving in the process. Yet what has been amazing under John’s stewardship is his resolute mantra of “never getting too high and never getting too low” – a line often wheeled out in post-match interviews. This always brings a smile to my face as reporters desperately try and glean an exuberant quote from Mr Still after a resounding victory. Instead they are met with a “win’s a win” type response aimed at keeping the players’ feet well and truly on the ground. Oh yes, and all this is done while sucking a sweet. Multi-tasking at its finest.

Now as I’ve mentioned, John has a wonderful way with words, and is often keen to share this eloquence with supporters above the dug-out in the Carling Stand. A disgruntled bunch has been known to call for a player to be substituted on several occasions. The response? “Shut up and go home. You don’t know what you’re talking about!” Who are we to argue?

A slightly overweight 19 year old, he replaced Lee Double in central midfield and proceeded to bound around like an excited Jack Russell. When he did get the ball however, it was immediately obvious that he had something. On first impression, it looked as if Ted had uncovered another gem. It later emerged that we’d paid a 4-figure fee and 3 packets of Red Hot Monster Munch to Leyton Pennant for Cole, and it proved to be one of the best purchases the club ever made. Having not quite made the grade at Spurs and Wimbledon, their loss was most definitely the Daggers’ gain. Cole recalled:

“I played for Leyton Pennant in the evening and then signed for Dagenham & Redbridge. I turned up for the game in jeans and trainers because I’d spent the night at my girlfriend’s house!”

Tim eventually settled in a central defensive role, and at a more sensible weight for a footballer, and went on to form one of the best partnerships in non-league with Lee Matthews, signed mid-way through the following season. The club won the Ryman League in 2000 under new manager Garry Hill, and when he wasn’t hauling carcasses round Smithfield, Tim was weighing in with 8 goals during the march to the title. For Tim, the day job working in the freezers as a storeman was more like a night job, meaning he often had to go to work straight after playing in midweek games.

The club’s first season back in the Conference was perhaps Tim’s finest in a Dagenham shirt. An unexpected 3rd place in the league was an excellent return, but the highlight of the season was without doubt the FA Cup and a 3rd round tie away to Charlton Athletic. Before the game, Tim was was in typical spirits:

“I think we might have to kick a few early on. We just can’t let them knock it around all afternoon.”

And Tim proved that he had every right to be in such bullish mood. A truly magnificent performance saw him showered with accolades in the national press, being named in the Mirror’s ‘team of the week’ section. The 1-1 draw meant a replay at Victoria Road and once again Cole was more than happy to provide the soundbites for the press in his own unique style.

“They kept complaining to the referee that we were too physical – but I wouldn’t call that a physical game. That’s life in the Conference – hard but fair with no room for wimps. Let’s get them back to our place where pitch ain’t so good, the fans are almost on top of you and the changing rooms are rough. We’ll see if some of their players are ready to roll their sleeves up.”

Another fantastic performance from Cole was not quite enough – he had his equaliser chalked off for a foul on Kiely as the Daggers lost 1-0 after extra time. Anybody watching at the time though would have been in no doubt that Tim was one of the finest defenders that non-league had to offer. His fame apparently didn’t stretch as far as some of the Daggers’ league rivals however, as he was renamed ‘Sid Cole’ and ‘Tim Olé’ by various matchday announcers.

Unfortunately for Tim, this was to be his last season without injury troubles. He was restricted to just 4 games as the Daggers were pipped to the title on goal difference in 2002, and who knows how things could have turned out had he stayed fit. He again missed a large chunk of a promotion race the following season when the Daggers again fell just short, this time in the playoff final.

Battling back to fitness during the 2003/04 season, Tim was deservedly handed the captaincy after Lee Matthews’ departure. Retaining this honour under new manager John Still, Tim was a vital member of the squad during a period of rebuilding, having an excellent run towards the back end of the 2005/06 season as the lynchpin in a back 3. More injury misery was to follow however, with Tim missing almost all of the Conference winning season the following year. Despite this, it was fitting that Tim got his hands on the trophy to cap a glittering Daggers career.

Since leaving the Daggers, Tim has made approximately 73 comebacks from various types of leg-knack over 2 seasons, in the colours of Thurrock and Billericay Town. He has recently agreed a contract to occupy the physio’s treatment table at Brentwood Town for the coming season. In total Tim made 304 appearances for the Daggers, scoring 30 goals. He was granted a testimonial against Southend United in July 2007, attended by less than 1000 fans on a Monday evening. You can’t help but comment that a more lucrative game would have befitted his contribution to the club.