Dean assesses last fortnight and previews Dagenham & Redbridge game

Scunthorpe United boss Jimmy Dean has praised the effort and endeavour shown by his players ahead of our return to National League action against Dagenham & Redbridge on Saturday afternoon (3pm kick-off).

The Iron last took to the field two weeks ago against Barnet at Glanford Park, and have since welcomed a further four new faces through the door. 

Aaron Chapman, Danny Elliott, Ben Richards-Everton and Will Smith have all the joined the club in the past week, with Dean quick to reflect on some positive preparation.

"It' been really good," began the boss. "The players are coming out of their shells now we have had a bit more time to input our ideas and sit them down. The players that were already here have had a lot of change and you have to think about that. I think we are in a much better position than we were. 

"The ones that come in now, rather than give the squad depth, they have to improve the team. In the centre-half position it is a little bit different, as we only had two. Boycey [Andrew Boyce] pulled up and didn’t train on Thursday, while Tafty [George Taft] split his lip open on Tuesday and it was very apparent that we only had two senior centre halves at the club."

Speaking prior to Smith being added on Friday, Dean added: "We have got Ben in and he has had a great career, he got promoted from League Two. He is coming towards the end of his contract at Yeovil and wants to make an impact which is important."

With Owen Foster performing well between the sticks in recent weeks, former Gillingham keeper Chapman has been brought in to help provide vital competition for the teenager, with Dean quick to praise his addition. 

"Aaron Chapman has also come in, another big voice and he has been excellent in training," he added. "He wants to make a difference and I am really enthused by that one.

"Danny Elliot, we only had one centre forward and we had to change that. They were hard signings to make, but he has got them down and it gives us a better chance. Danny looks sharp and in the dressing room, it feels a lot better. There is much more banter and there is a lot more going on." 

Hoping to strike up a balance between now and the end of the season, the Iron know it must be all hands-on deck to ensure a positive end to the 2022/23 campaign, with a sole focus on remaining in the National League this season. 

The former Peterborough Sports boss has made it abundantly clear just how focused he is on getting the job done, insisting he knows his decision-making isn’t going to make every player immediately happy. 

"The way I see it is I am not going to please everyone, people are going to be upset no matter what I do," he said. "You win games and you still get people upset and I have to now do what I see fit which is help this football club win games. We are still looking to improve and we want to get the right profile. We want to have a good go at this now."

Set to take the field for only the second time this month, United will hope to ensure a strong outcome in North Lincolnshire, with Saturday’s opponents having endured quite the opposite in terms of their recent scheduling. 

"There are pros and cons to it [on Dagenham having played four times in quick succession]," Jimmy added. "They might have a bit in their legs playing from Saturday to Tuesday, they have had time to recover but we are two weeks without a game.

"Every game is an opportunity and I went to watch them last Saturday, as I dont usually get that privilege. Training has gone well this week and let’s see what we can do. 

"I was probably a bit naive to how it is all going to be having trained just twice (before Barnet) and this time is different. I am in a different place; I am fully prepared, and I know what’s out there. I am looking forward to it and I feel like we are in a much better place than we were."

See more from Jimmy Dean on Iron Player.