Ex-Portsmouth favourite quits League Two promotion winners for management return after 21-month absence
The former Pompey striker helped guide Port Vale to promotion last season
A former Pompey favourite is back in football management after a 21-month absence.
It has been nine years since the Daggers were a Football League club rubbing shoulders with the Blues and at one point featuring as high as League One in 2010-11.
However, the club have fallen on hard times and next season will line up in National South after going down on the day of the 2024-25 season.
Not managed since August 2023
Now they have turned to former Hawks boss Bradbury, who has not managed since being dismissed as Eastleigh boss in August 2023.
Since then he has worked as Arsenal’s Southern Area Talent ID Scout, while was appointed as Darren Moore’s first-team coach at Port Vale in March 2024.
Certainly he enjoyed success while on the staff at The Valiants, helping them bounce back from relegation to League Two by last season winning promotion at the first opportunity.
Port Vale finished second behind Doncaster to make an instant return to League One, with ex-Pompey winger Ronan Curtis among their victorious squad.
However, despite thriving as Moore’s right-hand man, Bradbury has decided to return to managing a team and on Wednesday was unveiled as the Daggers’ new boss.
‘Throughout the process, Lee displayed a meaningful understanding of what it takes to rebuild the connection between the club and the community.’
Bradbury has a wealth of coaching experience, managing Bournemouth in the Football League, as well as steering the Hawks the two promotions, and a spell in charge of Eastbourne.
As a player, he totalled 167 appearances and 46 goals over two spells for Pompey after initially joining from the Army, while featured in last month’s Alan Knight charity match to raise funds for dealing with prostate cancer.
Port Vale: ‘We’re sad to see him go’
In wishing Bradbury well in his new job, Port Vale manager Darren Moore told the official Port Vale website: ‘Lee has been a fantastic and valued member of the coaching staff here at Vale Park and someone who played a really important role in our promotion season.
‘While we’re sad to see him go, he leaves with our complete blessing to take on a fantastic opportunity closer to home and his family, so we wish him nothing but the best.
‘On behalf of myself, the players and the staff, we want to thank Lee for all his contributions during his time here.’
Dagenham finished 21st in the National League and were relegated on the final day following a 1-1 draw at Matt Taylor’s Solihull Moors.
Despite one loss in their last nine matches of the season, manager Lewis Young was subsequently departed after five months in charge.