Daggers debt free says chairman

Dagenham & Redbridge chairman Dave Andrews says the club are in a strong financial position following their promotion to the Football League.
The Daggers secured their place in League Two for next season with a 2-1 win over Aldershot on Saturday.

And Andrews told BBC Sport: "The club is pretty much debt free.

"We don't have any sugar-daddies and we have to be self-sufficient. But the ground is almost ready - and we should make around £400,000 by going up."

Most of the work upgrading Dagenham's Victoria Road ground so it was suitable for Football League status was carried out in 2002.

Under previous manager Garry Hill, the club missed out on promotion by goal difference in 2002 and by a golden goal in the 2003 play-off final.

"We were ready then. When Garry got us to the top we put everything in - crash barriers, toilets - the lot - and we did not make it.

"We have got a police box and CCTV going in and two more years to put in another 1,000 seats. The council has been really helpful and everything is going smoothly at the moment."

And on the pitch, Andrews is confident that manager John Still can continue his success with his young side that has run away with the Conference this season.

"I will start talking to John as soon as this season ends. We won't be looking for wholesale changes but that is John's domain, not mine," Andrews added.

"John brought some youngsters in when Garry left in 2004 and they have been together three years now.

"In all the years I have been in football I have never seen team spirit like it. They are mates, comrades - it is like one big happy family here."