Dagenham & Redbridge Chairman Dave Andrews is a proud man. At 71 years old, Dave has played at Wembley for Walthamstow Avenue and Leytonstone and was Chairman of the Daggers when they last played at Wembley in the 1997 FA Trophy Final.
This Sunday he'll be watching the Daggers from his seat in the Royal Box as they attempt to gain promotion to League One.
It's a far cry from a decade ago when the team were playing Ryman League Football and the ambitions of the club at the time were to win promotion back to the pinnacle of non-league football - the Conference.
Dave comments, "To be honest, we put Ted Hardy in charge in 1996 to ensure we didn't drop straight through the Isthmian Premier and into their first division like a few ex-conference clubs had done at the time. Ted built a team based on camaraderie and took us to Wembley on a budget of £100,000 for the season. Since then we've never looked back and taht team spirit has continued year by year through Ted Hardy to Garry Hill to John Still and remains in the current side."
"When we appointed John Still in April 2004, I never dreamed that six years later we could be one match away from being members of the third tier of English football. Every season since he returned to the club we've improved our league position. If we don't win on Sunday it's still another fantastic season that we've had, finishing seventh."
On Sunday the team will be roared on in the League Two play off final by over 12,000 Supporters from South West Essex.
"I was over the Club on Monday when the queues were forming for tickets", Said Dave. "The sight was fantastic. I can't wait to hear all the supporters at Wembley on Sunday getting behind the team as I'm sure they will. Our support this season has been unbelievable. We've had midweek games at Lincoln, Rotherham, Bournemouth and Morecambe and despite that our supporters get time of work and travel to the games, staying behind win or lose to applaud the team off the pitch."
"I'm sure with their support off the pitch, the team will be doing all they can on the pitch and together we'll give everything we've got towards winning the game."
