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Post by james1977 on Apr 18, 2014 19:52:28 GMT
Hi There,
New to the forum and this is my first post, I am very much an armchair Iron fan - 2 x under 2 year old's keep me busy at the weekend etc etc. Firstly I think Braintree's achievements this season have been massively overlooked by the media, but the reason for my post is to ask an honest question (and apologies if I have repeated an old thread).... Should Braintree make the play offs and win the final to earn League 2 football next season what are peoples honest opinions on there ability to compete, and what would about the clubs part time status, can it afford to go full time? and can the players? for what realistically could be a one season romance.
Just a couple of questions that I have wondered over the past season.
Braintree Town v's Colchester Utd and/or Southend Utd next season, are all possibilities  |
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Post by 4whatitsworth on Apr 18, 2014 20:15:41 GMT
Similar questions were asked about us when we were promoted to the Conference Premier and here we are 3 seasons later.
Lets all just wait and see what develops and not put the cart before the horse. With our current MT and board of Directors
anything is possible as we have come so far in such a short space of time.
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Post by james1977 on Apr 18, 2014 20:36:20 GMT
I know and I was surprised as anyone after the first season in the CN, huge credit is due to competing in this division - which goes back to my point about Media coverage, but League 2? I'm just interested to know. Can that sort of decision be made between May and August, or has it already been made? Are the key players on short term part-time contracts? would they gamble there other professions on going full time? Can a part time club exist in League 2 (is it allowed?)
I ask these questions because I follow this forum daily as well as the mainstream media and other than Dean Wells article on the BBC (which was more about him than B'tree) we hear nothing about the possibilities and fairy tale stories do we. And not seen others ask these honest question.
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Post by ozbrit on Apr 18, 2014 23:10:15 GMT
I'm in agreement with 4whatitsworth, the club needs to focus on getting there before they announce a public position on their strategy to stay there. As much as the Conference three seasons ago set the club a new challenge on and off the field, then league 2 would provide a further challenge. The seasons budget would imo have to factor in potential income versus expenses. Travel will stay national, so not much change with that. I think there is a bigger share of TV money involved as well as bigger gates with some more away fans. Only guessing here, but I'd expect to see a basically full time hub of players with the others remaining part-time. There may even be a few who have decent enough careers outside the game which they wouldn't want to compromise.
Our biggest problem surrounds the ground and pitch imo. With a new stadium on the horizon, I suppose the club wouldn't normally want to spend much on our current facility. A promotion wouldn't give any option.
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Post by all4one1forall on Apr 19, 2014 4:56:33 GMT
Hi I'm new here...grew up in braintree and now live in colchester whom I watch at least 10 times a year. There is huge admiration btw from the majority at cufc for what is happening at little old braintree. I believe No money needs to be spent on the ground because it meets the football league grading now although I'm sure the club would extend the grandstand to give 1000 ish seats and cover the two open terraces. The model to look at would be accrington Stanley who manage to survive in league 2 with crowds of 1500 so it can be done. Good luck BTFC for the next two I'm considering making the trip to Barnet as this was a decent rivalry for the U's back in the day - how many will make the trip?
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Post by ozbrit on Apr 19, 2014 5:41:42 GMT
how many will make the trip? My guess 1-200, enjoy the trip and see you at Cressing Road Saturday when Braintree meet play off contenders Grimsby Town, another of the U's former league rivals. |
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Post by weknowwhoweare on Apr 19, 2014 11:05:43 GMT
I hope we take over 100 and create a lot of noise and cheer the lads on coyi olay olay:)and let's get a big crowd against grimsby:)
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e7cm7
On the bench
Posts: 179
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Post by e7cm7 on Apr 19, 2014 15:11:22 GMT
I believe, all4one, that if the open terraces are covered, the ground capacity will be reduced (yes, health & safety reasons), then we will not meet Football League requirements.
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Post by braintreeo on Apr 19, 2014 17:07:58 GMT
Hi I'm new here...grew up in braintree and now live in colchester whom I watch at least 10 times a year. There is huge admiration btw from the majority at cufc for what is happening at little old braintree. I believe No money needs to be spent on the ground because it meets the football league grading now although I'm sure the club would extend the grandstand to give 1000 ish seats and cover the two open terraces. The model to look at would be accrington Stanley who manage to survive in league 2 with crowds of 1500 so it can be done. Good luck BTFC for the next two I'm considering making the trip to Barnet as this was a decent rivalry for the U's back in the day - how many will make the trip? It would cost a small fortune to cover the terraces behind the goal and extend the grandstand - probably money the club haven't got and would not want to spend given a new ground is planned. I also understand that the FL have issued a new directive on floodlighting next season and League clubs will have to increase the overall Lux rating to a level many league One and Two sides currently don't comply too, I know for a fact Leyton Orient estimate this will cost them nigh on £100k to do the work and if promoted I suspect Braintree would have to do this work too. If I'm correct there is also a loan to BDC being paid off that allowed previous improvements to be made I would love to see BTFC go up but I am a little worried that with so few permanent staff and so many volunteer's it would be a struggle whilst income would inevitably increase cost of policing and the like would also increase substantially. |
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Post by ironhorse on Apr 20, 2014 7:54:07 GMT
This is an interesting post and welcome, the question of media has been on the forefront of my mind all season and you only have to watch the games highlighted by BT Sport this season to show that we are considered the country cousins of this league. I am looking forward to Monday Night football this Bank Holiday Monday as I wonder even though we are away at Barnet, will we be looked on as the top team and Barnet treated like we were at the Luton and Cambridge games!! On the fact that promotion is a possibility I will concur with the commonsense comments made and wait and see how we get on with the last two crucial games. Whatever the outcome, I'm sure that the Board are prepared, maybe a little anxious as we all are, but wise heads have been looking at the possibility of promotion for a while now and after three seasons at this level we should be able to be in a position to cope. I believe that recent inspections by the FA Assessors have found the Stadium ready for at least League 2 football...........indeed some of the ex-league grounds I visited seemed no better than the Amlin, much at our ground is cosmetic enhancement rather than not meeting grading criteria and without a great deal of help from local authorities like some clubs in this league, or leagues above even, we have managed to prepare for life in the next step, if weren't we surely would not have been allowed to compete at this level. I also believe we have a season to fulfil any lacking criteria in respect of grading. I would hope that the Chairman would also like to comment on this particular series of posts because it is important, particularly as we draw more interest with our sudden rise in progress. Common sense does dictate that we can only wait and see where we end up.......it would be nice to be at Wembley and even better to win promotion, but the sensible amongst know that we can only dream at present of what may be, lets enjoy the moment and worry about the future, whatever the outcome, when it happens. Its been a terrific season and the'll be no failure on the part of the "Pub Team from Essex", its been a great couple of months..........we will be ready whatever the outcome.........done it every season for ten years or more. COME ON THE IRON.
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Post by jonw on May 7, 2016 19:24:13 GMT
Just re-discovered this old thread! Makes interesting reading. A lot has happened over the past 2 years and yet in another sense nothing has changed!
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Post by james1977 on May 7, 2016 21:13:27 GMT
That was my first and last post, and still makes for a great read, Forget the Essex derby, a day trip to Wembley is the stuff of dreams!
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Post by forestiron on May 8, 2016 6:48:04 GMT
It's today! Never has 0-0 seemed more attractive.
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exile
One of the youngsters
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Post by exile on May 8, 2016 13:22:43 GMT
Hard work and good team ethic has just wont the premiere league.... crowds will swell, better players attracted.... could be the start of something.. As long as Grimsby don't step it up too much, which, lets be honest, they are a dangerous team , early in season they was hammering teams
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