The Silent Protest

[Dagger42]

On other topics there have been discussions about the rights and wrongs of protesting in the ground. The real protest/concern though especially for a club like Dagenham and Redbridge with a small budget is the 200-300 who have stopped going.This Sat will be interesting to see how many people will attend especially with season ticket holders having to pay. Wayne has kept us up for the last two seasons, but in that time the home form has been shocking.Staying up is an important, but you also need to entertain get results if you want to bring fans/revenue through the turnstiles.

[Mick]

Well l said a few weeks ago l would not be going to any more games......but couldn't keep myself away yesterday. Sadly i have to admit one of he main reasons for going was to see some of the old faces now at Luton.

What a waste of £18 that was!!

Learnt my lesson - I definitely wont be there Saturday.

[Diggerthedog]

What has been out lowest first team attendance since we were a football league team? Probably a JPT game? Can see about 800 max on Sat. Shame really as a win puts some much needed money in the coffers.

[Mike the Dagger]

Last season's FA Cup game was about the last time I got my boy along to a Daggers match without resorting to some sort of blackmail. This is a kid whose first FA Cup experience was Robbo's game at Basingstoke aged 5.

He was so disappointed at the lack of guts shown in a 0-0 against poor opposition and has been maybe twice since.

The club have my season ticket money already but I'm not paying any actual cash to watch the crap that is being dished up by Burnnett's boys any more so good luck but I won't be there.

[BB-Dagger]

I agree with Mike, season ticket is paid for but I'm not paying any more to be depressed watching such dross :(

[SUSSEX DAGGER]

Have the gates dropped by 200-300

1700 home gate yesterday.

1600 v Hartlepool

All things considered think they have held up fairly well.

Don't seem much of a protest to me , look forward to seeing you all for Manchester United at home in the 3rd round or will your protest be unconditional.

[Mike the Dagger]

Have the gates dropped by 200-300

1700 home gate yesterday.

1600 v Hartlepool

All things considered think they have held up fairly well.

Don't seem much of a protest to me , look forward to seeing you all for Manchester United at home in the 3rd round or will your protest be unconditional.

How many comps and "other" factors in those numbers though?

[dagger4eva]

Well there’s a discrepancy straight off….

BBC reports the crowd as 2,723 (so 1,640 in the home stands)

Daggers Official site reports it as 2473 (1,390 in the home stands)

Whatever the true number, make no mistake there were A LOT of floaters / day trippers at the game yesterday. Standing amongst us alone there were 8 Americans and a chap from Denmark all coming because it was the only game on in London.
Not to mention the numerous freebie tickets the club gave away via it’s twitter promotion.

So, I’d actually hazard a guess there were no more than about 1000 paying (either by means of ticket or on the day) REGULAR Daggers’ in attendance.

[OBD]

Don't seem much of a protest to me , look forward to seeing you all for Manchester United at home in the 3rd round or will your protest be unconditional.

I'll be there next week (and Tuesday night for the Essex Senior Cup) but if you think we'll make the 3rd round then I'll have a pint of what you're having.

[Mike the Dagger]

Well there’s a discrepancy straight off….

BBC reports the crowd as 2,723 (so 1,640 in the home stands)

Daggers Official site reports it as 2473 (1,390 in the home stands)

Whatever the true number, make no mistake there were A LOT of floaters / day trippers at the game yesterday. Standing amongst us alone there were 8 Americans and a chap from Denmark all coming because it was the only game on in London.
Not to mention the numerous freebie tickets the club gave away via it’s twitter promotion.

So, I’d actually hazard a guess there were no more than about 1000 paying (either by means of ticket or on the day) REGULAR Daggers’ in attendance.

On the Daggers official twitter feed it states "Attendance here is 2,773, which include 1,083 backing the Hatters" so another variation there.

Mind you that had us 1-0 up at half time (now deleted).

Another gem from there late in the game "Daggers have completely gone off the boil in the last 15-20 minutes. They need to find something quick" to which I responded "you mean 15 to 20 matches surely? #BurnettOut". Toyed with saying months there too, but I didn't hear back on that one.

[Chigwellian]

I agree with Mike, season ticket is paid for but I'm not paying any more to be depressed watching such dross :(

Ditto .... I think this will have an impact if season ticket holders stay away.... then they will know the real feeling of discontent

[Diggerthedog]

Have the gates dropped by 200-300

1700 home gate yesterday.

1600 v Hartlepool

All things considered think they have held up fairly well.

Don't seem much of a protest to me , look forward to seeing you all for Manchester United at home in the 3rd round or will your protest be unconditional.

Glad to see you with the protesters Yesterday Sussex.

[SUSSEX DAGGER]

Have the gates dropped by 200-300

1700 home gate yesterday.

1600 v Hartlepool

All things considered think they have held up fairly well.

Don't seem much of a protest to me , look forward to seeing you all for Manchester United at home in the 3rd round or will your protest be unconditional.

Glad to see you with the protesters Yesterday Sussex.

Look I fully understand your frustration and I even support your right to make your voices heard, but if you cant distinguish with being by a Person's side against being on their side then I really think that's a matter for your own interpretation of events.

I have stood with those People on numerous occasions and we have exchanged friendly banter about events for many , many months, going back to Wayne's first season. We do not agree on the solution to the current situation, they do however make me welcome when ever I choose to stand amongst them .

Just because I don't agree 100% with their views it does not mean that I have to avoid them . Each and everyone of them are loyal supporters who like you have a right to express their views.

Now something's are more important to me then a performance of a struggling league two football Club, I value the friendship and comradeship that we have built up and I value it much higher then a difference of opinion we have over this issue.

Whatever happens I know they will be there next season where ever we end up and I have no doubt if the worse comes to the worse I will be subjected to a lot of piss taking. That's all part of the package for me .

What I will never accept is the need for People to turn hostile , it was a matter of profound regret that some People could not participate in a friendly exchange of views and as a result things turned a little nasty yesterday.

The People who participated in yesterdays protest are decent honest People who I have enjoyed and look forward to continue to enjoy the same passion we all share, Dagenham and Redbridge Football Club.

Those same People I am sure would defend my right to hold the views I do and would not think much of me if I suddenly avoided them. Over the next few weeks I will no doubt be subjected to any amount of banter and piss taking and If the football isn't much at least I can always say that I have spent my season in the best of company.

The silent protest did however take a new twist yesterday , as is the norm Steve Thompson joined us on the Terrace about 20 minutes into the game and yet there was not a murmur from anybody who was standing in the vicinity who later joined in the protest.

So it really was a silent protest at that stage.

[dagger4eva]

Sussex – I have a feeling Digger was pulling your leg in that lost post.
I liked your post though – you’re bang on the money tbh. Despite the differing views (you’ll turn eventually) I always thoroughly enjoy your company and the opportunity to wind you up about it all and I definitely would have thought less if you all of a sudden decided you couldn’t stand with us as a result.
In turn, I don’t have a problem with you or anyone else that should have a differing view, that was the worst thing about the scuffle that broke out afterwards. Those who did feel the need to finally voice their feelings to Burnett and the club should be respected too – if not agreed with.

I’ll still be there long after Wayne & Cronies have buggered off in to the sunset even if I did decide not to attend the game this Saturday.
As for the silent protest with Steve – I’m not quite sure what you meant by it but I took it as people are just bored to high heavens of his excuses and general level of talking-bollockness so decided to merely ignore him.
Respect to him for continuing to do his walk but I’m afraid he’s onto a loser if he thinks we will lick his arse like most other people in the club seem so keen to do.

[ARNU]

Sense of proportion is key here.Everybody is entitled to their views, even that dry lunch who keeps calling me a nob,whoever he is.Thats what a free country is.If we chose to hate eachother over every difference of opinion we'd have no friends would we.

There are many ways to skin a cat (I think that's the saying).My methods would be different in this particular case.How you affect change depends on the methods you choose.I think yesterdays protest if you can call it that,did achieve something,but possibly not what it set out to do.