Dagenham & Redbridge v West Ham United
Pre-Season Match, Chigwell Construction Stadium, Saturday 20 July 2024, 3pm BST
West Ham United are set to continue their pre-season preparations with a second clash of the schedule back in east London, as Julen Lopetegui’s charges make the short journey to National League outfit Dagenham & Redbridge.
The Hammers kicked off their summer action with an entertaining 2-2 draw against Ferencváros in Austria, and will now be looking to deliver the new Head Coach a first win at Chigwell Construction Stadium.
A positive result on the road would also provide the team with plenty of momentum ahead of the Sunshine State Tour to Florida, with the squad scheduled to depart for the US shortly after the fixture against the Daggers.
The players’ attention will be fully focused on the task in hand for now, though, with a buoyant atmosphere expected to be generated by fans of the two neighbouring sides at the 6,078-capacity ground…
Tickets…
Terrace tickets for Saturday's match are available at the following prices.
Adults £16 (£18 matchday), Concessions (Over 65s and students) £10 (£12 matchday), Next Gen (17–21-year-olds) £10 (Advance Only), 10 to 16-year-olds £7 (£9 matchday), Under-10s Free
Click here to purchase in advance.
Travel…
The easiest way to get to Chigwell Construction Stadium is by using public transport.
Dagenham East station on the London Underground’s District line is situated about 500 metres from the ground. On exiting the station, turn left and the ground is on Victoria Road, which is the fifth turning on the left-hand side after about 400 metres. You will see the stadium at the end of the cul-de-sac.
You can take London Bus route 103 from either Romford railway station, which is served by Greater Anglia, TfL’s Elizabeth line and London Overground, or Rainham station, which is served by c2c rail services. The 103 has stops on both sides of Rainham Road South, just north of Victoria Road.
No parking is available at Chigwell Construction Stadium. Street parking in the local area is available, but motorists should take note of restrictions.
How To Follow…
Saturday’s pre-season match will be streamed live from Chigwell Construction Stadium.
Fans in the United Kingdom will be able to watch on National League TV for just £4.99 - you will be able to buy passes from nationalleaguetv.com very shortly.
Meanwhile, overseas fans can watch live on West Ham TV, also for £4.99. International match passes can be purchased HERE.
You can follow all of the action via our live blog on whufc.com and our app, and across our social media channels. We will also have highlights and exclusive reaction for you after the final whistle on our website and social media.
Team News…
Having arrived back from a week-long training camp in Kitzbühel towards the start of this week, the majority of West Ham United’s squad will be itching to add to their pre-season match minutes in Dagenham.
Summer signings Luis Guilherme, Wes Foderingham and Maximilian Kilman will be looking to build on their positive displays against Ferencváros in the Austrian Alps last time out, while forward Danny Ings will be hoping to strike for the second time in two games.
Michail Antonio, Vladimír Coufal, Tomáš Souček, Lucas Paquetá, Alphonse Areola and Jarrod Bowen, who have all been involved in international action this summer, are due to join up with their teammates following Saturday’s game, and therefore won’t be available.
Julen Lopetegui’s side is likely to contain several members of the Academy of Football, who will be aiming to impress in the first-team environment. The likes of Freddie Potts, George Earthy and Kaelan Casey shone against Ferencváros, and could get further opportunities at Chigwell Construction Stadium.
Opposition…
Dagenham & Redbridge were formed following a series of mergers, which saw Leytonstone, Ilford and Walthamstow Avenue form Redbridge Forest, who in turn merged with Dagenham FC in 1992.
Their first season saw them finish third in the GM Vauxhall Conference and reach the first round proper of the FA Cup, and after relegation to the Isthmian Premier in 1996, they returned to the fifth tier of English football for the start of 2000/01.
A first foray into the Football League came via the Conference title six years later, before John Still inspired promotion to EFL League One via the Play-Offs in 2009/10, thanks to a 3-2 win over Rotherham United at Wembley.
An immediate return to League Two preceded an eventual demotion back to the National League in 2015/16, where they have remained ever since.
Last term, the Daggers finished in 15th place under manager Ben Strevens, who took charge in March 2023 having previously enjoyed two spells at the club as a player.
Young striker Harrison Day became Dagenham & Redbridge’s ninth signing of the summer at the start of July, while Saturday’s clash will mark their third outing of the summer, following a 5-3 defeat at Aveley and a goalless draw with Dulwich Hamlet.
Previous Meetings…
As neighbours, the Daggers and the Hammers have met several times in pre-season competition over the years, most recently last July, when the teams played out a 2-2 draw.
Goals from Maxwel Cornet and Divin Mubama either side of half-time twice gave West Ham the lead, but Dagenham kept plugging away and earned themselves a draw thanks to Inih Effiong’s first-half strike and Sydney Ibie’s late penalty.
The Irons’ development team have frequently faced the National League side in friendly action, recording a 1-1 draw on their travels in the summer of 2022, while the men’s senior side claimed a 3-1 victory in a #SaveTheDaggers fundraising match in March 2018, which was held to help the hosts through financial difficulties.
The two clubs have been linked over recent campaigns also, with Chigwell Construction Stadium playing host to West Ham United women’s team home matches, and occasional Academy games, since 2020.
