Jon Boardman, the forgotten man?

When thinking back to the Daggers side that won the Conference title in 2007, central defender Jon Boardman may not be the first name that springs to mind. He joined the Daggers from Rochdale in January 2007 as replacement for Shane Blackett and was a regular in the side over the second half of that Conference title winning season. He played in the clubs first ever match in the Football League, at Stockport County in August that year, but injuries hampered his progress and he left to join Woking in the summer of 2009 having made just 36 appearances for the club, scoring three goals. In this exclusive interview, Jon reflects on his early career, his time at Victoria Road and his hopes for the future.

Jon Boardman in his Daggers kit.

Who did you support as a boy and who were your footballing idols growing up?

I began supporting Liverpool but then moved on to Crystal Palace as I began playing for them when I was 10. The players I used to like watching at Crystal Palace were Ian Wright, John Salako and Chris Coleman.

Tell us a little about your early career?

I started off at the Crystal Palace centre of excellence when I was 10 and was lucky enough to be offered YTS at 16 and then a pro contract at 18. I stayed there for 5 years full time but didn't make it into the first team so moved on to play for Woking in the Conference, staying for 3 and a half years.

How did the move to the Daggers come about and what made you want to join the club?

I was looking to get back down south as things hadn't really worked out at Rochdale, and we had just found out my wife was pregnant, so it was good timing as John Still was looking for a centre half to plug the gap that was going to be left by Shane Blackett's departure. As soon as I heard that Dagenham were interested I came to meet John and knew it was a great opportunity to join a club that was going in the right direction.

You arrived as the team where on their way to the Conference title, what was it like coming into the dressing room at that time?

I can honestly say it was the best dressing room I have been in. It was a great time to join as the lads were doing so well but the work ethic and positivity at the time were second to none, and I felt at home straight away.

What was it like to play for John Still?

I loved playing for Stilly and learnt more from him than any other manager. He simplified the game and made sure that everyone knew what their jobs were. He was very demanding and we worked very hard but nobody could complain that they weren't prepared and knew what was expected of them. It also helped that he used to be a centre half himself so we spent a lot of time working on the small things that make a big difference for defenders. He also used to let us win all the competitions in training which was always pleasing as the forwards had to do extra running, but they did need it as they never ran enough in games!! 

What are your memories from your time at the club? Your personal highlight?

It's a funny one really as my memories of my time at Dagenham are mostly fond, however I spent pretty much the whole of my last year injured which personally was a tough time. However my overriding memories are of when I joined the club and how lucky I was to be part of a winning team, personally scoring two goals against York at home to make it three wins in a massive week for the club always sticks in my memory. Also beating Sam Sloma at two touch on a regular basis was enjoyable!!

The move never really worked out for you in the end, mainly due to the injuries you mention, so how would you sum up your time with the club? Do you have any regrets?

I'll always maintain that I enjoyed my time at Dagenham, no doubt it was hampered by injury which definitely stopped me fulfilling my full potential. When I first joined I was fit and playing well and if I could have stayed fit and continued to progress under the guidance of Stilly I would like to believe I could still be there now. However I am fairly philosophical about my injuries, it is an occupational hazard of being a footballer and I was lucky enough to have a career playing full time football for 13 years. I don't have any regrets, it's always easy to look back with the benefit of hindsight and perhaps wish you had made different decisions, but every decision I made was the right one at the time and I always gave 100% which I believe is all you can do.

Do you still keep in contact with anyone at the club?

Yes I still speak to several of the lads. The team that won the Conference all try and meet up every few months, which I hope we always will as it was a good time in all our careers and was the best dressing room I was in in my career.

Tell us a little about your career since leaving the Daggers? Where are you playing now?

When I left the Daggers I was still recovering from injury and signed for Woking hoping to be fit for the start of the season, but unfortunately I had a recurrence of my injury and had to have another operation in pre season. I finally got fit in October and remained at Woking last season but I never really rediscovered the form or fitness I needed to so the decision was made for me to go part time and I signed for Kingstonian FC. However a month into my time at K's I found a full time job in Reading which made it impossible to combine the two. I am now a IT Recruitment Consultant working for Progressive Recruitment in Reading and play part time for Hungerford FC who are in the Zamaretto South and West. Both are going well. It is a shock to the system doing a full time job after being a footballer but I have been there six months now and am really enjoying it. Football is also good. I finally feel fit again, we have a good team and set up and our aim is to get promoted this season.

Do you still follow the clubs results?

I always look out for the Daggers results and would like to come and watch them more often but living in Reading now it is hard to find the time.

Who has been the best player you played with and the best player you played against?

The best player I have played with is Grant Holt when I was at Rochdale. It is a pleasure to play with someone like Holty as he never stops working and can get a goal from anywhere. He has gone on to prove himself in the Championship this season and if Norwich gain promotion he could even be playing in the Premier League next season. The best player I have played against is Tugay at Blackburn. He must have been in his mid-thirties but absolutely ran the game, his passing was unbelievable and you just couldn't get the ball off him.

Finally, are you surprised at how far the Daggers have come in the last few years? Did you feel you were a part of something special at the time?

I'm not surprised at all at how far the Daggers have come, Stilly is a great manager who knows how to get the best out of his players and build a very solid team. We had no right to win the Conference as we had much less of a budget than a lot of teams that year and no doubt that was more apparent when they got promotion from League 2. But it's about the team spirit and attitude that surrounds the club. They will need this more than ever this season as it is their first in League 1 but I'm confident that they will stay up and be stronger next season. I definitely felt part of something special, the club has defied all odds and anyone who has been involved in that journey has been part of something special, at the end of the day the Daggers are just a pub team from Essex!!

I would like to thank Jon for taking the time to do this interview and wish him all the best for the future.