FA Trophy preview: Hanwell Town boss Chris Moore excited by big reunion

By Matt Badcock

Thankfully, the then-Northwood striker did eventually speak to Daggers boss Garry Hill, back in December 2003.

As well as 44 goals in 98 appearances in his first spell, it led to Moore being part of John Still’s 2006-07 title winners.

And when he takes his Hanwell Town side to his former stomping ground in the Isuzu FA Trophy on Saturday, the memories are sure to come flooding back.

Good times

“I remember I was up a ladder fitting air conditioning in a hospital when Garry Hill phoned to sign me,” Moore told The NLP.

“I didn’t believe it was him on the phone so I put it down on him. Choulsey (Tony Choules), the Northwood manager at the time, had to phone me and say, ‘No, it really is him – call him!’

“I was fitting air conditioning on the Monday morning and on Tuesday evening I was on the bench at Gravesend & Northfleet.

“I scored a goal on my full debut at Stevenage and never really looked back. We won the Conference and then I scored in a 2-0 win against Wycombe in our first ever Football League win.

“It was Dagenham’s first time in the League. Really good times there.”

GLORY DAYS: Chris Moore and his Dagenham winners

Crazy

And Moore says the changing room togetherness was something else.

“There was some crazy stuff that used to happen – probably I was at the forefront of that! I remember putting grasshoppers and cockroaches in Shane Blackett’s bag once, an African Snail in Sam Saunders’ car – it was almost the Crazy Gang.

“Ability wise, were we the best team in the league? No. But it was built on that changing room and the camaraderie we had.

“We were running through brick walls for each other. If someone was down, we’d pick them up and take them with us. That showed in our league form.

“That changing room would be very hard to recreate. We’re all in a WhatsApp group now and we talk about that changing room, what we had, and the togetherness that got us over the line.”

Reward

Moore says the day is ultimately for the Southern Premier South Geordies and reward for beating Step 2 high-flyers Merthyr Town away in the last round.

“We enjoyed a record run in the Trophy last season and we’ve matched that again this season,” Moore said. “Going to places like Merthyr and winning is huge – not many teams do.

“If you’d have said we’d win there and then get Dagenham, I’d have bitten your hand off. So it’s a really good run and the boys have been fantastic.

“It’s got in the way of our league form a little bit. That has suffered because we’ve had so many games.

“We finished eighth last season and I like progressing so I’d like to finish above that this season because then we’ve progressed.

“But, look, a Trophy run is really good for the club. Everyone knows how important prize money is.

“To repay the guys at the club with the prize money and a prestigious tie like Dagenham away is fantastic.”