Where our Reserves fit in the National pyramid.

[Res Match Day Sec]

Explanation of the pyramid. (for our parents & players.)

This is not intended for our supporters as they will know how the structure works, but more for our players at Reserves level who are only 16-18 and their parents.

Braintree Town first team are at level.5 which is step.1 of the non league pyramid.
Braintree Town Reserves are at level.10 which is step.6 of the non league pyramid.

To follow it is : (Sponsors in brackets)
(Level.1) Premier League. (Barclays)
(Level.2) Championship. (Sky Bet)
(Level.3) League.1 (Sky Bet)
(Level.4) League.2 (Sky Bet)

Non League.
(Level.5) (Step.1) Conference Premier (Vanarma) Braintree Town 1st team play at this level.

SPLITS IN TWO.
(Level.6) (Step.2) local side Chelmsford City play at this level.
Conference North (Vanarma)
Conference South (Vanarama)

SPLITS IN THREE.
(Level.7) (Step.3) local sides Billericay Town, Witham Town play at this level.
Isthmian Premier (Ryman)
Southern League Premier (Calor)
Northern League (Evo-Stik)

SPLITS IN SIX. Local sides Heybridge Swifts, Maldon & Tiptree play at this level.
(Level.8) (Step.4)
Isthmian One North (Ryman)
Isthmian One South (Ryman)
Southern League Central (Calor)
Southen League South & West (Calor)
Northern League First Division North (Evo-Stik)
Northern League First Division South (Evo-Stik)

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FROM HERE ONWARDS ONLY NAMED THE LEAGUES NEAR TO US AT STEP.5, 6 & 7.

SPLITS IN TO FOURTEEN. (Level.9) (Step.5) Teams our Reserves met in league cup Brantham Athletic, Hadleigh Utd play at this level. Plus local sides Stanway Rovers & FC Clacton.
Eastern Counties League Premier (Thurlow Nunn)
Combined Counties League Premier (Cherry Red records)
Essex Senior Leauge Premier
Hellenic League Premier
Spartan South Midlands Premier
United Counties League Premier

SOME LEAGUES HAVE A 2ND DIVISION TO STEP.5 LEVEL 9. (NOT ALL) Braintree Town Reserves play at this level.
(Level.10) (Step.6)
Eastern Counties League Division One (Thurlow Nunn)

BELOW SENIOR LEAGUES.
(Level.11) (Step.7) Local sides Gas Rec, White Notley play at this level and below.
Essex Olympian League Premier
Suffolk & Ipswich League Premier
Essex & Suffolk Border League Premier.

[Res Match Day Sec]

I forgot to mention that no club's reserves are allowed higher than step six of the non league pyramid, if "Braintree Town Reserves" were to be in a promotion position they are not allowed to be promoted.

The only way round this. Is to do like "Team Bury" did, they dropped the Reserves from the name. This meant "Team Bury" (who are "Bury Town Reserves") could enter the FA Vase this season where "Braintree Town Reserves" could not. After 5 season's you can then enter the FA Cup too.