Predictions for Saturday

[Guest]

As I'm new to this forum, thought I might start off by predicting the outcomes of tommorrows big games:<P>Billericay 1-1 Chesham<BR>Baintree 3-0 Kingstonian<BR>Grays 1-4 Aldershot <BR>Hamp+Rich' 0-1 Gravesend<BR>St Albans 2-2 Canvey

[Cressing Toad]

Good to see that we're even recognised (Braintree Town), even so, we'll keep stirring up a few in the prem.I predict a Top half of the table finish, with a tilt at promotion next year. You may be interested to hear, we have a board thats virtually unchanged in 20 years, a conference standard ground - a new seated stand will be started on soon. from Jewson League champs in the mid 80's we've been promoted four times without being relegated. First it was promotion in 1990 to the BHL first with fellow former eastern leaguers Sudbury Town (who are now back in the eastern laegue after financial hardship), on seeing all the travelling that BHL premier clubs do, Braintree applied to the Isthmian for a sidewards step. We weren't permitted to do what Gravesend were just a season earlier )-:<BR>So div3 it was. But we soon got our status back div1. Then after consolidation it was a case of 3rd time lucky. So he we are (-: Unfancied by smaller clubs than us, a bit of a joke that. Crittal athletic (Braintree's former name) have been in senior non-league football since the 1930's, way before some clubs were pub league, I remember Billericay playing Junior football less than 30 years ago.<BR>So yep, our record of recent decades of never taking a backward step means you can expect to get used to seeing us around the place, thats assuming we haven't moved on.<BR>We look forward to some great matches and Frank sorry to have gone off topic on your Thread. I think Aldershot have the set-up and basis for the Conference. Canvey on the other hand are monied upstarts, if one or two personnel quit the club they're nothing.<BR> <p>[ 15 September 2001: This message was edited by: Iron knob ]

[Guest]

Yer man Ivan seems to think that having a veteran committee is a weakness, as there's nobody young coming through to take over.

[Cressing Toad]

BaldRick<P>Hmmm! Does he now, But Ivan nor his chairman are exactly OAP's. Dunno their ages but 50-55 age range?

[Merv]

In reply to Iron Knob's tilt at Canvey having a money-man behind them, please can someone tell me of any club at this level of football that doesn't? Sorry, but it's pretty naive to assume that Braintree (for instance) is building its new stand, paying its players and making ground improvements from the eight quid (less concessions and free passes) of this season's average gate of 421? One of those games was a derby against Billericay.<P>So Braintree's gate income for the past five weeks has been somewhere in the region of £3000 for each of the four home games. Total £12 grand. So either someone (might be a group of people) is bankrolling the club - like most other clubs - or the catering concessions and bar at your humble ground must be worth a bloody fortune.<P>Or is the weekly raffle reaching dizzy heights?<p>[ 15 September 2001: This message was edited by: Merv CIFC ]

[Cressing Toad]

Merv<P>Yeah i can imagine you're sick of hearing that stuff about CIFC buying their success.

[cangull]

Iron knob - The money behind our team isn't hidden; unlike many other teams at this level.

[Cressing Toad]

Merv<P>Congrats on your win at St Albans, with regards to Braintree Towns income and expenditure - not being an officer of the club i haven't a clue apart from the appearance of them running a tight ship. What i will comment on, is the that wherever you go, whoever you speak to in non-league circles big money and canvey are synonymous.<BR>Every club would love to get hold of some benefactors, but to achieve on honest endeavour, team work and a never say die attitude is virtuous.<BR>We're top of the league so i'm celebrating that. Top half of the table is still realistic but once you've tasted fine wines, Reisling is hard to go back to.

[Merv]

But Iron Knob, all success is bought, surely. Do the Braintree players play for nothing? No, they are paid. I would hazard a guess that the better players are paid more than the poorer ones. Have Braintree never bought a player in order to improve their chance of success?<P>The argument comes back to; where does the money come from? Your suggestion (and similar ones from other intellectually challenged football fans) is that Canvey is unique in having a local company, Kings Holiday Park, putting money in. I say that this situation is quite common-place. Did you know that there is a connection between the owner of the Purfleet hotel and the football club?<P>But you still haven't answered my query, where does the Braintree income come from? Does it really all come from the admission prices and bar takings? Even at Aldershot that is not the scenario, although their fantastic support obviously helps the cash-flow.<P>As Vic says, the money situation at Canvey is quite transparent. Jack and Jeff King, through their business, are the club's benefactors. No secret there.<P>Finally, Canvey have never taken the view that success simply goes to the highest bidder. Having raised the dosh (through a benefactor or through the turnstile) the management has to buy wisely and lead their team to success. Without footballing knowledge and skill the success can be very short-lived. Remember Blackburn?<p>[ 15 September 2001: This message was edited by: Merv CIFC ]

[Merv]

"...but to achieve on honest endeavour, team work and a never say die attitude is virtuous." So you still maintain your players are not being paid and that the groundstaff buy all the materials from their own pockets? Get real, someone is putting money into your club because running a Ryman Premier club is expensive. It can't be done on gate takings and raffles alone, believe me.<P>Canvey fans are under no illusion as to who is bankrolling the club, the situation is transparent. "...not being an officer of the club i haven't a clue apart from the appearance of them running a tight ship." The opposite of transparent might be - have the wool pulled over my eyes.<P>Anyway, congratulations on being top of the league. Essex is so well represented at this level of football and Billericay, Braintree, Grays, Heybridge, Purfleet plus, of course, the mega-rich, only bought their success, upstarts, etc., Canvey can all be proud of their achievements. Pity Chelmsford are in a Mickey-Mouse league otherwise I think they would be able to join in with our success. Only one of us will be in the No 1 position next May but I have a feeling it will be one of the Essex clubs.

[cangull]

I must go along with Merv on this one, even though I am a supporter of the same club. Just look at the transfer listings in 'The Non-League' paper today, it shows Aldershot involved in a transaction of £10,000 for a player, again Chelmsford £15,000. Take into account previous transfer fees involving clubs at our level and it will be found that Canvey's venture into the transfer market is much lower than most people would expect; £5,000 for Paul Cobb and similar for Chris Duffy (correct me if I am wrong). Jeff King is shrewd in his dealings for players, he collected Steve Ward for (a then Club record) £3,000, Ward in my opinion is one of the best defenders to be seen. I could go on but I am only repeating the facts that have always been made public, very little is swept under the carpet here and as far as we know the club officials receive no financial rewards.

[Guest]

High lads. Only my second attempt and I still cant find the club emblems to include so any ideas please.. As for the discussions regarding the funding of the various clubs of course it costs the Directors and Chairmen from their own pockets to help fund the facilities and players. No doubt for them it is part of their relaxation from the cut and thrust of business (when your top of the league) or a pain in the a**e if your near the bottom.Where the problems arise is when uncommited people move in and help fund a club and then when they have had their fun move on e.g.Wivenhoe (and keep your eye on Sudbury).At the other end of the scale you have the clubs who try to survive on a shoestring with no benefactors eg Heybridge who in my view have done a fantastic job for the region in promoting non league football.Good luck to Canvey this year, having seen them play they are far better than Aldershot and will no doubt go up come the end of the season.

[cangull]

Iron Maiden -- The quickest way to explain is to either ask on the webmaster email button, or perhaps you may want to go back to your profile and click on the avatar button and scroll down to your respective club and select.

[.Ian]

Hi Ironmaiden,<P> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Ironmaiden:<BR><STRONG>I still cant find the club emblems to include so any ideas please..</STRONG><HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>Click on 'My Profile' to your left - then click 'View/Update profile' - about halway down this page you will see the word AVATAR, against this you will see a pull down list. Towards the end of this list you will see all the clubs.<P>Simply select your club badge, from the pull down menu, click save, and all your posts will now have your badge - this includes any posts already made.<P>Regards,

[Guest]

Many thanks both of you. This computer lark is easy!!!!!