Simply the greatest. There is no other way to describe a man who led his sides to four Wembley finals, five league titles, two miraculous relegation escapes and seemingly endless other cup triumphs. The man in question is of course Ted Hardy.
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.
the best ever, thanks for two championship medels, which ive lost.
I was there for the ’71 cup final mauling, and it shattered my child like belief at the time that, with Ian Huttley in goal and Dennis Moore at the centre of the defence, Dagenham could never be beaten! My mate still sees Ted at the local swimming baths where he goes nearly every morning, and says what a lovely bloke he is. Definitely a one-off.
Effin Ted was one of his nicknames. I remember carving in a desktop during a boring lecture at Nottm Uni. ‘ Ted Hardy – the Paisley of the south.’ What a great footballing character.
I sat with Ted at the recent Colchester v Dagenham game and the man is a legend. His knowledge is way out there..I have so much respect for a man that has given so much to the game of football. Its a pleasure to know him.I suggested he wrote a book of the tales that he can reel off….any publishers out there ?????