October is here and the Christmas lights are already being put up across the land, but more importantly we’re a quarter of the way through the league season. It seems appropriate now to draw breath and take a look at how the new signings have performed since their arrival at Victoria Road this summer.

Will Antwi
An injury-prone centre-half signed from Wycombe Wanderers, Will was arguably a risky acquisition. Yet his displays alongside skipper Mark Arber have been solid, thus cementing his position in the Daggers back line. It’s worth remembering also that Will replaced last year’s Player of the Year, the Colchester-bound Magnus Okuonghae. He’s done a commendable job to date.
Grade: 7/10 Provided Will avoids injury, a promising season beckons.

Scott Doe
Well, it’s been an ‘interesting’ start to Doe’s Daggers career. To be fair to Scott, he’s a centre half by trade, so his shift to right-back has not been ideal. A reasonable outing in his debut at Crewe was followed up with some solid displays in the team’s convincing home victories. However, in recent weeks the cracks have started to appear, firstly against Chesterfield and moreso at Underhell, where the Daggers No.4 was destroyed by the Bee’s Yannick Bolaise. His torrid evening culminated in a lunge on Bolasie on the stroke of half time, drawing a penalty and effectively ending any prospect of a victory. In truth however, Danny Green hasn’t offered great protection to his team mate at times during the season, so some of his failings have not been of his own making.
Grade: 5/10 The potential is there but will need senior squad members to guide him through the season.

Stuart Thurgood
The pantomime villain, the man Daggers fans loved to hate when donning a Grays Athletic jersey, Stuart is now the man we all love to love. A combative midfielder with spells in the football league at Southend United and Gillingham, Stuart has been a welcome addition to the Daggers squad. Never one to shirk a challenge, his partnership with the equally robust Peter Gain has given the spine of our team greater bite. Coupled with a tremendous work rate, Stuart has to be regarded as John’s signing of the summer. Shame about the tattoo though.
Grade: 8.5/10 Will play a key role against good-passing teams, hopefully taking some of the heat off the back four.

Danny Green
Snapped up from Bishop’s Stortford in the summer, Danny made an explosive start to life in League 2. A glut of goals in the opening handful of games have been followed by quieter but nevertheless consistent performances. A terrific turn of pace is perhaps his greatest attribute, often ghosting between opposition defenders when they least expect it. A greater defensive tactical nous is perhaps an area for improvement.
Grade: 7.5/10 A promising start and will no doubt go on to bigger things.

Josh Scott
Losing Ben Strevens after two successful seasons at this level was a huge blow. But Stilly being Stilly, remained unfazed. Much like when Chris Moore left for Brentford in 2006, John replaced him in the starting XI with a certain Mr Paul Benson. With a fair bit of bulk behind him, Josh has adapted to the physicality of professional football with great ease. His hold up play is excellent and he’s proved to be a handful when trying to roll defenders. Being a leftie, he compliments Benno well and a promising partnership is forming. Although goals haven’t flowed as Josh would undoubtedly have liked, his contribution to the team is first class. Speaking on BBC Essex after a recent match, Stilly was unwavering in his admiration of the player, saying his physicality will stand him good stead for the second half of the campaign.
Grade: 8/10 Looks the part in League 2 and the goals will come.

Best of the rest
It’s pretty tough to judge the other new recruits but Graeme Montgomery, Abu Ogogo and the recently acquired Danny Spiller have shown promise. Spiller would be the pick, his composure and willingness to receive the ball, demonstrates why he was once a target of the Hammers before injuries forced him to drop down the leagues. It’s difficult to see where he would slot into the team at the moment however. One option already exercised by John is to move Gain out wide to accommodate Spiller in the middle. It seems a reasonable shout as Gain has been effective in that role to date.

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