This Weeks Fan In Focus Is...
Mike Wainwright
Name: Mike Wainwright
Place of Birth: The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
Date of Birth: 25th August 1960
Occupation: Sales Manager for a Software House
Non-League Team supported: Dagenham and Redbridge
League Team Supported: Tottenham Hotspur
Favourite Book: Exodus by Leon Uris (I like books that make you think)
Favourite Film: Schindler's List (I like films that make you think)
Favourite Band: Queen
Favourite TV Programme: Star Trek TNG
Favourite Radio Programme: Sport on Five
Favourite meal: Steak (Medium Rare) with mushrooms and a baked potato with
all the unhealthy toppings, along with a good red wine.
Pet Hate/s: Small dogs - if you are going to have a dog, have one, not a
rat on a rope.
And any other info about yourself and family: I live with a football ignorant wife (she supports West Ham from afar) and two small Dagenham fans (aged 4 and 8 at the moment). I used to work in the Dagger shop in the 70's before taking to the hockey field in the intervening period but am now back in the fold.
Desert Island Discs (New Feature) You are on a desert island and can take with you the following 8 Records 1 Book (not the Bible or Shakespeare as they are already on the island) 1 Luxury item that is of no practical value (I don't know what this means exactly, I just got it from the Radio 4 website) So what would you take?
Queen's Greatest Hits (1, 2 & 3), Ray of Light by
Madonna, The Ego Has Landed by Robbie Williams (his 1st US release), Wish
You Were Here by Pink Floyd, The Best of Me by Bryan Adams, Come on Over
by Shania Twain
The Britannica World Atlas (I love looking at maps, sad git)
Shania Twain… (she could sing me to sleep, honest)
All questions below relate to non-league football.
1. FAVOURITE PLAYER/S OF ALL TIME & WHY? Mal Harkins - A completely lazy looking player who could not stop scoring goals and broke all scoring records for Dagenham one season in the 70's. Jimmy Holder - Ran like a steam train for 90 minutes with the wickedest long shot I have seen, scored some great goals for Dagenham in the 70's Joe Dunwell - Just a class player for so many years.
1a. FAVOURITE CURRENT PLAYER/S AND WHY? Tony Roberts - I love his attitude. Gets so annoyed when things go wrong, even if we are 3 up at the time. Matt Jones - Has his ups and downs but wears his heart on his sleeve. Why do people have a dig at him so often? Lee Matthews - Class.
2. BEST TEAM PERFORMANCE/S OF ALL TIME? Dagenham's FA Trophy win 2-1 over Yeovil away in 1977 on the way to Wembley that season. We drew at home 1-1 and fully expected to get beaten at The Huish, yet went there and played brilliantly to win.
2a. BEST PERFORMANCE OF THE 2000/01 SEASON? No contest - Charlton Athletic 1 Dagenham and Redbridge 1. A magical day out.
3. WORST TEAM PERFORMANCE/S? Dagenham 0 Aldershot 4, FA Cup (1973??) After a load of build up, the team was completely pants on the day and got thrashed by a very ordinary 4th Division team.
4. WORST TEAM PERFORMANCE FROM LAST SEASON? Dagenham and Redbridge 0 Weymouth 1. So depressing and so predictable after the previous weeks heroics. This is closely followed by, Hayes 4 Dagenham and Redbridge 1, stuffing up the, nearly record breaking, winning run.
5. MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT? Watching Chris Maycock score the winner for Dagenham at Wembley in 1981. Yelling "shoot, shoot, for @@@@'s sake shoot" from the other end of the ground as he weaved round the Mossley defence and then finally seeing the ball slide in the corner of the net and realising we were going to win at Wembley at last. The whole of our end just singing "Dagenham, Dagenham" for the rest of the game. Junior scoring "that goal" at the Valley, breaking my boys flag dancing, hugging some hairy guy next to me and screaming like a madman.
6. MOST FORGETTABLE MOMENT? Ducking bricks after a 3-0 FA Cup defeat at Watford. Why did the yobs feel the need to do that? John Salako scoring "that goal" at the Valley, although the reaction of the our crowd was brilliant.
7. BEST COMMENT HEARD FROM THE TERRACES? "You soft southern w@@ker" to John Borland, a Glaswegian, at Scarborough in an FA Trophy game in the 70's. John's reply cannot be broadcast, but rhymes with Cupid Stunt.
8. WHAT WOULD YOU DO TO YOUR CLUB TO IMPROVE IT? Sign Garry Hill to a binding contract for the rest of his working life. Cover the open ends of the ground and get "Diamond Vision" screens like White Hart Lane. Shut up some of the moaners who get on the back of the team, and certain individuals in particular, when things aren't going so well.
9. WHAT OTHER QUESTION WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE ON THIS QUESTIONAIRE & HOW WOULD YOU ANSWER IT? Q) Who is the player that you would like to see sign for Dagenham if money was no object? A) Steven Gerrard - The kid is a class act. Q) Where did you have your first haircut? A) Harrods (just showing off).
11. WHY DO YOU SUPPORT A NON-LEAGUE FOOTBALL CLUB? A couple of seasons ago I started going to Spurs with my eldest but found the cost, the lack of concern about the supporters, the hassle of getting tickets, and there and back just such a pain. At Dagenham it is just so different, and, apart from a couple of away trips in the FA Cup I have never felt hassled or unsafe watching the team.
12. BEST MATCH BEEN TO NOT INVOLVING THE DAGGERS? England 3 Argentina 1 Wembley 1980 - the first visit of the then World Champions to Wembley after they had won the world cup at home in 1978. England murdered them, despite this young kid called Diego Maradona playing for Argentina. He looked a promising player I thought.
13. FAVOURITE NON-LEAGUE GROUND? Wycombe Wanderers old ground, Loakes Park. Sitting in the stand there on top of the slope you used to get the feeling you were going to fall out and roll right across the pitch.
14. FAVOURITE LEAGUE GROUND VISITED? White Hart Lane now it is fully enclosed.