Dagenham & Redbridge manager John Still worried protests could disrupt his young squad

Jordan Maguire-Drew was the youngest player on show for Dagenham & Redbridge at Solihull Moors (pic: David Simpson/TGS Photo) ©TGS Photo tgsphoto.co.uk +44 1376 553468

Daggers boss says fans can protest as much as they want after, as long as they back his team during games

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Dagenham & Redbridge manager John Still believes protests by the fans regarding the future of the Essex club’s ownership, such as the one during a 5-2 win at Solihull Moors in the National League, will have a negative effect on his young squad if they continue.

Goals from Oliver Hawkins (3), Fejiri Okenabirhie and Jordan Maguire-Drew saw Daggers coast past Moors to record a first win in three.

At half-time and towards the end of the game, the away fans made their thoughts known regarding the future of the club’s ownership through a series of chants, while some took to directing abuse towards the directors’ box as they walked past it upon leaving Damson Park.

And after the match, Daggers boss Still voiced his concerns that the protests it will hurt his squad’s chances of success if it continues for much longer.

“The supporters doing what they did doesn’t help the players get better,” he said.

“I think it’s negative – do what you want after a game, do it when it’s all over and we’re gone, stand outside forever and do it.

“But while we’re playing and while they’re coming off, I don’t care, but whatever they think, their thoughts are their thoughts and I’m not looking to change people’s thoughts, but that is detrimental to what we’re trying to do, detrimental to my job, detrimental to my staff’s jobs and detrimental for the players’ jobs.

“It’s negative and when the game’s going on, it should never be negative.

“Do what you want after when we’re all gone, I’m not worried about that and I would actually admire them for voicing their opinion if they think that way, but come and support your team from the first minute, no negativity. I’m disappointed.”

Asked whether he thought it was fair on his young squad, Still added: “The players are coming off asking what’s happening. We shouldn’t be talking about that, that’s not for us.

“We have a board of directors and members that will decide what happens to this club.

“They’re the people the fans should be influencing, not our players.

“My association with this club goes back so far, I should be up and saying it’s great, we’re getting better and the players are improving, and yet I don’t feel like it, I really don’t.”

And on how long the takeover saga has dragged on, with it now approaching three months, Still said: “I keep saying the same thing, let’s try to get something done because it’s not down to me and what I think, or down to him and what he thinks, it’s down to a group of people to decide what’s happening to the club.

“Whatever it is, that’s what we’re going to go with. My particular views don’t matter because I don’t decide what happens, and someone behind the goal might not decide what happens. We have members and they decide.

“I made it quite clear how I felt we should go forward, but I respect everyone else’s views, but what’s that got to do with when we’re playing a game? I can’t see it, I really can’t and it really disappoints me.

“If we have the right facilities, which we don’t have, and the right things off the pitch that can help make this club better, we have a great future coming whoever runs it.

“Support the team while they’re out there and get behind them, don’t worry about something else that’s going on that some of them can’t affect because they don’t vote.

“While it’s going on, it’s negative energy and I have players asking what’s going on.

“We should be coming off saying ‘5-2 away from home? My God. Two deflected goals we could do nothing about’. That’s what we should be talking about, yet we’re talking about something else and it really hurts me.

“If we get that at home on Tuesday, I’m going to be dead straight and say I don’t know if this is the club for me anymore. I don’t and I really mean that.

“I don’t think my players should be subjected to negative energy, they should be subject to total support from the supporters. That’s what I think.”