Oi! Mark (Flag) Braintree!

[AFF]

Hi Mark.

 

I was chatting to someone last night who mentioned that he had read in the NLP that your manager flies in to Braintree, [well I imagine that means that he flies in to a major international airport in the U.K., probably Stanstead, and then drives to Braintree but you know what I mean], from his home in Spain twice each week to take training and to manage the side on match days.

 

Is that right?

 

[Rob_the_Saint]

Oi AFF

 

Shouldn't this be on the Braintree forum?

 

Assuming he doesn't borrow the Carrot Cruncher's private jet, it's cheaper to travel from Spain on Ryan Air than getting a bus from down the road. Takes a bit longer of course, but maybe he doesn't want to hang around for too long in this country for some reason... <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

 

[AFF]

Hi Rob.

 

No. This thread sits quite comfortably here, thanks all the same.

 

Let's wait for a response from Mark (Flag) Braintree, and then we'll see where this one leads us, Rob.

[Carrot Cruncher]

I wonder why a director of St. Albans City FC is so interested in the travelling arrangements of the Braintree Town FC manager?

 

Not ANOTHER illegal approach emanating from Clarence Park, surely.

 

But as we all know with AFF, it's not crunch, crunch, crunch ... but Grudge, grudge, grudge ...

 

Oh and by the way, how's that F.A. investigation into the players assault on spectators going?

 

Clarence Park - a safe environment for all the family!

[Mark (Flag) Braintree]

Alright AFF, I have just seen this on the Braintree site, you have your own fan base, Dan from Ricay.

 

As I automatically go into the Braintree site first, I replied on that.

 

The Flag.

[AFF]

Hi Mark.

 

A little confusing but I found my way on to the Braintree forum and I saw your response. "Yes. Graham coaches kids in Spain" or words to that effect.

 

Mark. I am hugely impressed. A Manager of a Non League Football club who, effectively, commutes from Spain by air, twice a week or thereabouts to look after the side. That is fantastic. If you read it in a work of fiction you wouldn't believe it would you? Huge.

 

You know that I quite like the minutiae of life Mark, so please tell me. Is your Manager met at the airport by a car and driver each time he flies in or does he drive himself to the ground or the hotel that he uses when in North Essex?

 

 

 

 

[mala_D]

You sure you're not a sniper, AFF! Working for a firm of debt collectors? <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

[Mark (Flag) Braintree]

I better not divulge such info, in case you are a secret terrerorist trying to capture our leader.

 

Why are you so Interested?

Is there a punchline comming?

What is this building upto?

 

HUGE Flag.

[American FLEET FAN No1]

Conspiracy!!!!!!!!!!!Ironic .....isn't it????

<img src="/images/graemlins/whistling.gif" alt="" />

[AFF]

Hi Mark.

 

No, I'm not interested in kidnapping your Manager. We have one, thanks all the same, and one's enough! However tempting, I'm not thinking of writing a book either. I don't have the patience.

 

Quite simply, I was on a brief flight of fantasy, Mark. I was picturing your man at his Soccer schools in sunny Spain, what, Monday and Tuesday morning. Catching the 1600 flight from Alicante Tuesday afternoon to meet a Mercedes at Stanstead airport, to whisk him to Cressing Road for training from 7 until 9. A night at the Braintree Hilton. An early morning pick-up and drive to catch the red-eye from Stanstead at 6.30 Wednesday morning. Soccer schools on Wednesday and Thursday. Repeat the flight to Stanstead on Thursday afternoon. Collected at the airport and driven to training Thursday evening. Stay in North Essex until Saturday and the match. Driven to Stanstead to fly back to Spain at 10pm on Saturday evening. Soccer school on Sunday, after morning mass, of course.

 

A season ticket on British Airways. Think of the Air Miles. Hugely fantastic, Mark. Great pictures. it's great. Where is your imagination Mark?

 

 

[Carrot Cruncher]

It's your imagination that concerns me.

 

And it's not a Merc, it's a BMW.

[AFF]

Hi Mark.

 

The Executive In Charge Of Holidays at AFF Towers has just suggested a short break in Spain during the Summer.

 

My lads have been well brought up and have some modest talent with the oval-shaped ball but they like to kick the other one a bit. You know how youngsters can get bored on holiday and as we have been chatting, in a manner of speaking, it suddenly occured to me to ask how your chap's soccer schools 'work'. Does he have one of those web-site thingies? Do know where I could get hold of a brochure or details, if not?

 

Thanks in anticipation.

 

Good luck to The Iron tomorrow. We have The Islanders at home.

[Basildon Bond]

I think you'll find that Roberts has already scarpered from the aforementioned 'sunshine coaching thingy'

 

I have it on good authority that he's holed up somewhere around my Manor, Ho Hum, wonder if the Carshalton Bailiffs know where he is..?

[AFF]

Eh?

 

Well that's rather dashed the picture in my mind.

 

Perhaps he found the commuting thing too much. 2500 miles or thereabouts round trip twice each week is a bit on the heavy side.

[Carrot Cruncher]

BB, Do you live near Sotogrande then?

[Old Hack]

Especially when you have to fly up from good old Gibby AFF, now there's a thingy worth perusing.

 

You see its a two hour drive to Malaga and a one hour drive to Gibby.

 

My ex lives down in old Soto, lived there for a while myself in the good old days before drink and drugs got the better of me.

 

Still have a few 'china's' down there, none of them have heard of old 'Fatso Robbie'

 

Still, its a funny old place, not many of them know who 'Bin Laden' is either.

 

Strange world really.!!

[AFF]

A strange world, indeed, Old Hack.

 

Ther's news of Graham Roberts on the Iron web-site and limited comment on their message board.

 

It would seem that the Board have decided not to extend their arrangement with Graham Roberts into next season and it has ceased with immediate effect. It's a long press release but it would seem that Graham found the commuting from Spain a little too much and, it would appear, he decided to limit his appearances.

 

There is some reference to Graham wanting to re-arrange the fixtures to better suit the arduous journey but I became a little confused at that point. Another picture formed in my mind of GR suggesting to the Rtman League that The Iron should be allowed special dispensation to play all of their League fixtures every other evening over a 12 week period from October so that Graham could stay at the Braintree Hilton for a solid two months but that was a little far-fetched.

 

No comment from the man himself.

 

I assume that he has gone back to the soccer school in the sun.

[AFF]

Hi Mark. I've just re-read the Press Release on your web-site.

 

A four hour board meeting last week and another on Saturday! Crikey!

 

A smoke-filled room........a polished oak table and worn leather chairs.......the dark panelled walls covered in faded photographs, press cuttings and pennants, memories of a proud 100 years of sporting history....... ten men in shirtsleeves, ties loosened, darkened patches beneath their arms testament to the pressure, shadows beneath their eyes and greying chins confirmation of the passing of hours....... beer and sandwiches sent in at regular intervals......and finally...in the early hours of the morning...as the first fingers of light begin to clutch the eastern horizon signalling the arrival of dawn......a decision.

 

"Let's have a word with him, find out why t'booger hasn't turned up for training and we can speak again on Saturday".

 

Great stuff! Huge.

 

Tell me, Mark. This chap, Gartell. Is a he a Braintree man or did he come as part of a team with Graham Roberts? The 'association has not been extended into next season with immediate effect'. [Great choice of words, that.] Is Mr Gartell an associate of GR at the soccer school back in Spain?

 

[Talking of that, did you ever manage to get a web-site address thingy or a brochure for The Graham Roberts Soccer School In Spain, by the way Mark? The Executive In Charge Of Holidays indoors is still on about a trip out there.]

 

The press release says that Roberts missed 3 training sessions out of six. I heard an allegation last night that on a couple of occasions, neither of them turned up for training. Was it a case of the first player to arrive can take training and the last player to leave should turn the lights off?

 

Anyway. Best to look to the future rather than dwell on the past, as my grandad used to say Mark. My source gave me two tips for the appointment of a new man, one rather obvious and the other, surely a huge rank outsider, but worth a tenner at very long odds. Have you got a local bookmaker out there taking bets Mark? Any details of the odds available?

[Mark (Flag) Braintree]

AFF,

 

Saw your message pointing me over here, from your site.

 

Clive joined Braintree at the same time as Graham, as for the week leading up to Graham's appointment, our coach Tim was caretaker.

 

I think they worked together at Carshalton, but your best asking a Carshalton fan. There supporters and players were talking to clive in our club house. Or asking our Chairman, I would not know anymore than that.

 

Robberts in an interview with our local paper said he had no problem with the club.

"Graham Roberts admitted he had no grievances with the club for their decision to part company with him"

 

Lots more on this, in the paper, far too much for me to type.

 

Regarding your source for the next manager, I assume this is just rumour. I am sure our Chairman will tell us when the club is ready, there is no rush. We only have 1 game and then all Summer to make the right choice in time for the Championship race next season.

 

Flagus.

[AFF]

Err..yes Mark. Thanks for that.

 

Did the press article in the local paper mention the Graham Roberts Soccer School In Spain? Good to know that Graham has "no grievance with the club for deciding to part company with him". I should think not!

 

What an interesting turn of events. I saw the double page spread in the Non League Paper when Graham Roberts was appointed. Huge. [Apart from the lack of glasses in your clubhouse, that is.] What a shame that it hasn't quite worked out as you would have hoped. It was an awful lot of travelling, mind. 2500 miles a week? Perhaps he bit off more than he could chew. Still. Least said, soonest mended, as my grandmother was fond of saying.

 

As far as a new manager is concerned, Mark, your web-site initially suggested that a new appointment might be in place for Saturday's match with Hitchin. The last announcement said that some interviews had taken place on Wednesday and then that the club has been inundated with applications for the post from some of the biggest names in football, or words to that effect. More "four hour board meetings" in prospect, no doubt. Phew!

 

Rumours, Mark? No, I never pass on rumours but I heard a couple of names from a pretty good source [it was spot on for the Urchins/Hill and the Daggers/Still appointments] and I fancied a flutter. I wondered what odds are available locally in North Essex? The bookmakers here in Hertfordshire are unlikely to have details of the 'runners and riders' for The Iron job in a manner of speaking.