By Ian Hughes

Still is reaping the rewards of three years hard work

Continuity is often considered a key to success in the world of football but it is also something that is rare.

In the Conference this season, it seems like there have been as many managerial changes as matches played.

None of those have come at Dagenham and Redbridge - and as a result they are enjoying the benefits of John Still's three-year stewardship and guidance.

Still has nurtured and developed a group of young players into a team that sits eight points clear at the top of the table.

And he has no doubt that a stable foundation has been hugely influential.

Still told BBC Sport: "When we started here three years ago, we were a very young side. The side has grown up a bit now and has gradually improved year-on-year.

"And this year the improvement has been very, very good. That's the reason that we've done so well.

We just have to stay focused on the ultimate goal - on that winning post John Still

"The two to three years of experience the players have behind them now has played a massive part.

"We have a way of training and a way of playing and we stick to that."

It is a system that is working this season, with the Daggers rising from recent years of mid-table mediocrity to front-runners to win a place in League Two.

But as will always be the case with lower league teams, they are susceptible to raids from their bigger rivals and Still saw two of his best players leave in the January transfer window.

However, he sees the situation as an indicator of the club's healthy position - and believes Dagenham are well equipped to cope.

He said: "In the last couple of weeks we have lost Craig Mackail-Smith and Shane Blackett to Peterborough.

"Of course it is disappointing to lose your best players.

Striker Moore has returned to Dagenham from Brentford

"But if these players are getting an opportunity to go and prove themselves at a higher level, then the club is doing a fantastic job because we are producing good, young players.

"We are showing young players that if they come here they have a good chance of improving and that our club plays a big part in that process.

"When players come here now they see a club that is progressing and they see a club where players can improve their career prospects."

And in recent signing Chris Moore, the club has welcomed back a player who left the club last summer to step up in quality with League One's Brentford.

That move did not quite work out for Moore but Still expects the experience will have strengthened him.

Still added: "With Chris coming in, he is a player we know and he knows how we play.

"And despite losing two of our best players, I feel the team can carry on performing really well.

"We just have to stay focused on the ultimate goal - on that winning post. There's no time to relax.

"Maybe we can do that when the season is over."