Daggers Fan In Billericay

[Guest]

I have lived in Billericay for about a year now and was most concerned about the proposed move to Basildon. I was born in Dagenham and have obviously followed them although my main love is West Ham. A few years ago, a good fair size conference side called Redbridge Forest decided to merge with a small club in the Jewson league called Dagenham united for their facilities. Years later, the bigger club, Redbridge, now not only play in Dagenham, but wear Dagenham colours and their nickname is now the Daggers. In fact, the name Redbridge only seems to be there in name alone.

I truely hope that Billericay does not become Basildon & Billericay FC and lose it's identity. The town of Basildon has only been here since the 50's, and it seems to be swalowing up all around it.

I would have loved Dagenham to have acheived things on their own, as I'm sure you all would Billericay.

 

Good Luck

[Ryan.c]

I think Digknob's had one too many in the Plough!

[Guest]

If thats the best answer you can give Ryan.......

All Redbridge Forest thought they were doing was moving to Dagenham. They initially went there for a bigger ground and better facilities.

All Billericay think they are doing is moving to Basildon...................

[Ryan.c]

er.... I was actually refering to your inaccurate summarisation of Dagenham & Redbridge.

[Guest]

What inaccuracies?

 

Redbridge were a club with no home in the Conference. Came to Dagenham in the Jewson ( it may have been renamed Ithsmian by then), ended up merging and now wear Dagenham colours, known as the Daggers and the Redbridge bit is not really used much.

 

I don't know if Basildon and Billericay will merge, but do loyal fans deserve it? But could it make sense? Double the income (2 sets of fans) and halve the outgoing (1 set of players). I also do not know the full financial structure at Billericay, could 600-700 fans a game support the club and a 8(?)million pound (sorry cant remeber the full cost of new ground) stadium who are pushing for conference status? I meet a few former Redbridge Forest people and although they will support D&R wholeheartedly, deep down they feel Redbridge is the forgotten side of the club.

But, as I said,

Good Luck in whatever happens, and whatever happens is for the best.

 

PS: Do the club have an official website, and if not, whats the best current site?

[Ryan.c]

www.billericaytownfc.co.uk is the official website.

As for D&R, as I understand it Redbridge Forest were the final product of the mergers between Leytonstone/Ilford and Walthamstow Ave. A club that had amassed a tidy sum of money along the way but was never well supported. Don't remember Dagenham playing in the Jewson League (or it being renamed the Isthmian), but they have played in the Conference and Isthmian. To cut a long story short. Dagenham, support, tradition, ground,but hard-up. Redbridge Forest, money, no support or ground. Hence D&R's nickname the 'Merge'. I'm sure I'll be corrected if I'm wrong.

[Ryan.c]

Billericay&Basildon FC. I'd rather run naked round Park Lane with the lights ON.

[Simon BTFC]

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif"> I also do not know the full financial structure at Billericay, could 600-700 fans a game support the club and a 8(?)million pound (sorry cant remeber the full cost of new ground) stadium who are pushing for conference status? </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">The stadium is being built as a business development - the costs of building the stadium will be met by the income generated from non football related activities - business and leisure facilities. All the money from football related activites (bar takings gate receipts etc) will go directly to the club. Using the Livingston FC development as a business (emphasis on business) model, the non football income will probably outweigh the football income. One of the major aims of the development is that money should be coming into the club throughout the week - one match a week will not sustain even a well supported team financially.

[Guest]

Ryan, I am impressed with your knowledge of Dagenham. In 79, Ilford merged with Leytonstone and in 88, Walthemstow Ave merged with Leytonstone/Ilford to form Redbridge Forest. They rented Victoria Road (Dagenhams Ground) for a year, and then merged with Dagenham United. jewson league is a vague memory, pre Isthmian had some funny names! My memory may be playing tricks on me with that one. I am in my 30's! There used to be a history of all the clubs on the http://Daggerdagger.com .

Merge, not heard that for ages. I don't really know who invented that nickname, the club or the local rag. they are only ever called the Daggers now.

Is the current ground too small to develop?

 

<small>[ 31 May 2002, 12:41 PM: This message was edited by: Daggy Dagknob ]</small>

[Ryan.c]

Is the current ground too small to develop?

Basically, yes. The ultimate destination is the Football League and New Lodge just aint big enough.

[GazzaBTFC]

Ryan, I hope it doesn't come to the point when you have to run around naked with the lights on mate. A disgusting thought but something I'm sure that the club will consider for a laugh. Providing, of course, that you pay for the floods to be kept on!!!!