Dagenham & Redbridge manager John Still. Picture: Dave Simpson/TGSPHOTO

Eight matches unbeaten see’s the club safe

Daggers secured another season of League Two football on Saturday when they picked up a crucial point in a 1-1 draw with Crawley Town – and manager John Still revealed he always had faith the club would survive.

Defeat to Northampton Town six weeks ago left Daggers at the foot of the table, four points adrift of safety and with their Football League status looking precarious.

But they have produced a remarkable eight-game unbeaten run which, with two matches to play, means Still’s men are mathematically safe.

Even the most biased supporter would have been hard pressed to predict such a scenario, but Still — who celebrated his 62nd birthday on Tuesday — revealed his belief never waivered.

“I can honestly say no, I never thought we wouldn’t do it. I thought if our luck turned with injuries we would be okay,” he said.

“I thought if we could get the same group of players together then we would be able to do enough.

“Not once this season had we begun the week with training on the Monday and had the same group of players available for the match come Saturday.

“Just recently we haven’t had to chop and change as much and when we added John Akinde and Charlie Wassmer that made the squad stronger.

“That’s been the key — being able to work with the same group regularly and not having to worry about who’s injured. If you look at our position in the table you could say the season has been disappointing. But if you look beyond that, at the reasons why we’re in this position, then I think we have done fantastically.

“It’s been a fantastic achievement by a lot of people on and off the pitch. For a small club, what we have done is nothing short of amazing.

“And how we have done it is down to everyone at the club – players, staff and supporters all pulling together.”