The real thing - The Conference

The Daggers after years of being so close to promotion to the big time are finally on the doorstep. They lead the Conference by 11 points with ex-Millwall goalie Tony Roberts in outstanding form at one end and 26-goal Paul Benson at the other and with 7 games to go they are so close.

2 go up, the champion and one from a play-off involving 4 teams. 10 teams can probably claim to be in with a shout. Oxford, who are pulling in massive average crowds of 6,300 lead the way under Jim Smith. Other relative big boys York City are in there as well with their massive away following seeing them win 11 games away from home this season.

Morecombe under Sammy McIlroy are yet again in play-off contention as are Nigel Clough's Burton Rovers. Just below them are Exeter and Stevenage, who have games in hand. Ex-Charlton striker Charlie MacDonald has led the goalscoring charts all season with Gravesend & Northfleet, but they have recently slipped out of the play-off places.

Another ex-Addick Jason Tindall is doing his best to steady the Weymouth ship after an eventful year of goings on behind the scenes but they like having too much to do as do Aldershot and Kidderminster.

My top 5:
Dagenham & Redbridge
Oxford
York City
Stevenage
Gravesend & Northfleet

Just as an aside because I found it interesting the following managers all operate in the Conference. This used to be the league where managers cut their teeth, i.e. Nigel Clough but recently some 'big' names have taken jobs at Conference clubs, which just shows how hard it is to get back to managing a league club after being sacked:

John Still (Dagenham & Redbridge), Jim Smith (Oxford), Billy McEwan (York), Sammy McIlroy (Morecambe), Jimmy Quinn (Cambridge), Gary Mills (Tamworth) and Peter Davenport (Southport).