FM 2009 : Official Braintree Town FC Thread - Blue Square Goodness!

Braintree Town FC, The Iron, are based in a small town called Braintree(shock horror!) in Essex. Situated between Colchester and Chelmsford, it is surrounded by small villages, but also has a lot of through traffic, being just off the A12, and being on the major route towards Stansted Airport.

Full name: Braintree Town Football Club

Nickname(s): The Iron

Founded: 1898 (as Manor Works)

Ground: Cressing Road, Braintree

Capacity: 4,145 (550 seats)

Chairman: Lee Harding

Manager/Assistant: Brad Quinton

League: Blue Square South

2007-08: Blue Square South, 5th

Club staff

First Team -

Bradley Quinton (Manager)

Derek Parnham (1st Team Coach)

Steve Gracie (Physio)

Dave Clarke (Goalkeeper Coach)

Reserve Team -

Mark Samson (Reserve Team Manager)

Danny Shipton (Reserve Team Assistant Manager)

Youth Team - Eastern Counties Youth League South Division

Tom Marshall (Youth Team Manager)

Jon Crow (Youth Team Assistant Manager)

Ladies Team - Eastern Region Women's League Division 1 South

David Streetley (Ladies Team Manager)

Dave Clarke (Ladies Team Coach)

Nick Hopkinson (Ladies Assistant Goalkeeper Coach)

Supporters Team - Braintree & North Essex Sunday League Division 3

Danny Macklin/ Phil Poulter (Joint Supporters Team Manager)

Honours

Isthmian League

Premier Division champions 2005-06

Eastern Counties League Champions 1936-37, 1983-84, 1984-85

Essex Senior Cup Winners 1996

First Team Squad

Position Player

GK Craig Holloway

GK Nicky Morgan

DF Billy Burgess

DF Ryan Moran

DF Jack Haverson

DF Joe Bruce

DF Mark Jones (vice-captain)

MF Chris Piper

MF Brad Quinton (captain)

MF Michael Shinn

MF Lee Burns

MF James Hawes

MF Louis Riddle

MF Andy Porter

FW Gareth Williams

FW Sean Marks

FW Wayne O'Sullivan

FW Jack Jones

FW Danny Hockton

Its a fairly reasonable squad to start out with, with arguably the 3 key players being Craig Holloway, Brad Quinton & Danny Hockton. With these three offering a fairly strong core to the team, it might be worth attempting to strengthen the DC slightly to enable you to build a strong team around your core.

** As finances are always an issue this far down the English league tiers, it may be worth offloading a striker or two, obviously transfer fees are pretty much out of the question, so you should try to 'Offer to clubs' 1 or 2 strikers of your own choosing for value £0. If nothing else, this will free up some of your wage budget to facilitate the signing of some free transfers to strengthen your squad in other areas. **

It might also be worth trying to sign another scout, obvious points to look out for here are the highest Scouting Ability and Scouting Potential Ability that you can attract.

Aside from a little more depth of analysis, i would say playing as Braintree Town will treat you to a real LLM experience.

If you decide to give this little club a go, im sure you will enjoy it immensely, best of luck, but more importantly, have fun!

I have just started my new game with Braintree Town using the 9.0.3 patch.

As suggested in the OP, some strengthening does need to take place! I have tried and failed to really get rid of a lot of the deadwood, but i have a couple of players on their way out, which will free up a bit of my wage budget, they are currently being paid 3, sometimes 4 times the sort of weekly wage that i am bringing my new replacements in on.

I loaded up all leagues from England, Wales, Ireland, N.Ireland & Scotland, as such, there is an abundance of unattached players that can walk into my squad, although again, because of the budgets i have had to be quite selective.

As well as this i have brought in a new scout, not bad stats for this level, and he seems to be on the ball in his assessment of players!

I have only ventured a few games into my season so far, and will edit this post with my results to date.

So far its looking positive, my media prediction is 5th, and i would be happy to equal it if i am honest. I am going to write this season off as an experimental one, so anything above basic expectations is a bonus!

Ok so here are some screenies of that state of play early in the first season!

Club Information

Transfers In/Out

Fixtures / Results

League Table

Eeeek!!

OK, so something i have noticed very early on that i would like to point for anyone taking up this job, seriously make a real effort to shift the 'deadwood' from your squad, reserves included.

My finances are really suffering from the wage bill. I am going to need to get lucky in the cup to earn a bit of revenue between now and the next transfer window!

Just a Quick update then:

Massively improved after the first few league games, the new players have gelled, especially my new striker Ger Rowe, what a bargain he has been!

League Table

League Graph

Here is Rowe, he has played the majority of his life in the Irish Premier league, most recently for Bray Wanderers. Anyone, signed him on a free, as you can see he is now worth £14k and is performing very well!

We got to the 1st round of the FA Cup, but got thrashed 4-0 by League 1 Hereford, appreciated the revenue we received though, helped straighten out the bank balance a bit.

Ger Rowe

Cant wait until the January window, get rid of the players sapping a great deal of my wage budget, and strengthen up for the second half of the season, and the promotion push!

Performing above my own expectations at the moment, hopefully can keep it going !

Oh dear, Ger Rowe is coming into the later stages of a 2 month injury, and my goodness how i am missing him. Although Danny Hockton is the obvious replacement, he is performing nowhere near as well as the marvellous Ger Rowe. Starting to show signs of cracking under the pressure now in the league, just got to hope to stay in the playoffs and take my chances then with Rowe back!

Will get a proper end of season update, only a couple of months to go now!

Well, the first season has come to a close, and its certainly been a rollercoaster ride.

My success seemed to depend on the availability of my star striker Ger Rowe. Towards the end of the season he was injured for a couple of months, and we dropped right off the title pace and just managed to keep a place in the playoff positions. Upon his return we started to win again and secured a playoff place. Unsuprisingly he also carried the team through the playoffs, and we won promotion to the Blue Square Prem!

Here is the final league table:

League Table

Here are the final season player stats:

Player Stats

And Ger Rowe, who also won the Blue Sqaure South Player of the Season:

Ger Rowe

I will update tonight or tomorrow with my activities in the transfer market in the close season, lots of contract releases and free transfers!

On a side note, im suprised no-one else seems to have taken up Braintree Town yet and commented!!

I'm going to have a go! what leagues have you loaded?

My aims will be to get promoted, but.

Offload all deadwood and wage hoggers, bring in 2 full backs, a whole new midfield, a centre back and a goal-scorer.

Staff is fine apart from i will get rid of my Ass Man and get in a new one, preferably foreign

I loaded all possible leagues from England, Ireland, N.Ireland, Wales & Scotland

im the Braintree researcher. PM me with which players you think i could improve/decrease if you support The Iron and see them regularly

I got to be honest Morris, i thought the original abilities you have given them are fairly accurate, they just werent high enough to progress, so had to get rid

Transfers In/Out

Have only managed to get through the first 4 league games this season so far, and i think i am paying the price for having what is a team of 11 strangers on the pitch so early on. My league form at the start of the season reads as follows: "LLLL" !!!

I am hoping that this is more to do with the team not gelling more than anything, as i am not being played off the park at all, i am creating chances, just not putting them away at the moment. Have lost by a narrow margin each time really.

Fortunes have turned completely now the players have gelled together, will post an update at around January of the 2nd season.

Definately going to be having a staff overhaul when i finally break into the Football League, will be sad to lose Quinton as an Assistant Man, he has provided me with some useful insight.....suprisingly!

On a side note, i tried to sign a young striker called Cody McDonald who used to play just down the road for Witham, hes now at Norwich City in real life and on FM....The only reason really because i played in the same District League Rep side as he did lol!

Hey, I've just started out as Braintree 18 games into the season sitting second place will post a screen shot at the end of the season.

Good luck with your game Nade, keep us up to date, hope you enjoy it!

I'm enjoying it big team even better that I've went 4 points clear at the top with 34 games gone. It was just by chance I went Braintree I started unemployed.

Thought i would stick my update on, half way through the 2nd season, doing a lot better than expected!

Media Prediction was for me to finish 23rd, so im pleased to say i am performing better than that

Got to admit my goals are coming from everywhere this year, Ger Rowe has been disappointing really!

Hopefully i will be playing in the football league next season

YAY, bank balance is now back in the black and climbing steadily

Well how gutting, media prediction 23rd, only to make it into the playoffs and get knocked out in the semis

Hopefully can rebuild and get promotion next season!

Just a quick update showing transfer activity for the start of the 3rd season!

Season 3 update - Going quite well, challenging for the promotion slots at the moment, and finances have improved dramatically!

End of season 3, and have just won promotion to the Football League 2 as champions of the Blue Square Prem!!

As well as this we won the Conference League Cup too this season on penalties:

Cup Final..

Really chuffed with this season!

League Table

Ah Braintree.... this was THE place to get the best English regens in 01/02... so many fond momories...

Especilly when I got a midfiled with Gazza, all the tallent, but no troubbles..

Good luck

Lol, it almost seems weird having good players at Braintree.....given that i live on its outskirts, and know what the town is like, i can hardly see the likes of the EPL & La Liga stars heading down to ye olde local pub etc lol

But hey, thats all part of the fun

Well....My first season in League 2, Braintree's highest ever competitive division, and i only went and fluked promotion!!!

Not quite sure what it was, but messages about my players still trying to gel stopped appearing, and goals started flying in.

I loaned out 2 players, 1 of which was a player i loaned out last season. My players definately seemed to benefit from Full Time training etc as there were some notable increases in ability.

Anyway, although our defence was leaky, which is going to have to be addressed before League 1 kicks off, we were on fire up top, Matt Tubs, Jamie Guy and Ger Rowe getting the work done!

League Table

First season in League 1!

Media and the board both expected failure, media suggesting a finish of 24th was inevitable, and the board were optimistically hoping we could battle bravely against relegation.

I brought in a few players, making the most of the first transfer budget i have had since i took over at the club, with a couple of short term loans to tide me over, and releasing a few fringe players, we battled on and played well throughout the season.

League Table

As you can see, a 15th place finish, which was very respectable pleased me greatly, not to mention the board and the fans!

Looking to get in a crop of free out of contract players through the close season, still havent had enough money to improve the facilities at all, and still havent broken the £1million balance, but we'll get there!

Championship here we come!!!!

With a defence with as many leaks as the Titanic, we certainly adhered to the "score 1 more than you" rule of football this season, but it obviously worked!

Heres the League Table:

Also made a tidy profit from one of my star strikers, who luckily was easily replaceable by a youngster that had left his club on the bosman!

Just thought i would stick a transfers screenshot for the new season up : Transfers Season 2014/15

Im very pleased with the signings of Semedo & Walter Lopez especially!

Has anyone else playing with Braintree gone further than this and had any experience of a new stadium at all?

I haent been able to afford a single expansion yet, it seems a little silly having attendances of 3000 in the Championship

Just thought i would post a season update...my first season in the Championship, media prediction was 23rd, i was just hoping to scrape survival.

Turns out my team are better than i gave them credit for, battling bravely all season, managing to earn themselves 12th position!

Wooooo, and just to point out, after my complaints about my stadium, the board have just dropped this bombshell on me!!!

Ok so here are some screenies of that state of play early in the first season!

Club Information

Transfers In/Out

Fixtures / Results

League Table

The teams reputation is obscure so it's a chance to put them on the map. Anyone want to play as them except from you Rick ofcoure (great job you've done btw) I find it a bit sad when only one persons posting in the thread

The teams reputation is obscure so it's a chance to put them on the map. Anyone want to play as them except from you Rick ofcoure (great job you've done btw) I find it a bit sad when only one persons posting in the thread

Hehe, i know, it does feel like i am talking to myself sometimes, but im enjoying the career game!!

Deffo worth a crack for anyone looking for a challenge!

Whoa, i have also just received 2 new sponsorship deals....

Both are kit sponsorships, the first is worth £14.25m over 4 years, the second is worth £6.25m over 4 years.

The chairman has also just injected a further £1.2m into the club funds...

Is this normal behaviour? A week ago i was £30k in the red lol...

Havent given an update in a while, been doing well, establishing Braintree as a Premiership club.

Just thought this was worth posting, a particularly sweet victory i thought

Looks like we have very similar carear game, i have just got Braintree into the championship in the summer 2014 same time as you, am struggling waiting for a new stadium, did you get your new stadium at the end of your first season in the championship, how much money did you have in the bank when you got the stadium, and how much debt did it put you in,

thanks in advance

Rich

Hi Rich,

I had just won promotion from the Championship via the playoffs when the board announced the new stadium. I had about £1million in the bank, the board took on a bank loan to pay for the stadium.

My finances at the moment look like this, including the bank loan etc

Hi

Was wanting to start a new game and had a look on these forums and after seeing this thread decided on Braintree. Im 10 games into the season and sitting 2nd in the league.

Here are a few screenshots

http://img4.imageshack.us/my.php?image=bluesquaresouthi.png

http://img4.imageshack.us/my.php?image=braintreetown2.png

http://img4.imageshack.us/my.php?image=braintreetown3.png

http://img442.imageshack.us/my.php?image=braintreetown.png

Signed Ger Rowe as he done really well for you. He had a slow start with his 1st goal not coming till until the cup game with Heybridge but hes since got 7 in 5 games. Released some of the reserve players who are on ameteur contracts and managed to sell Michael Shinn and Andy Porter which freed up some wages. Had a few players on trial before i signed them. Have a young scottish left back on trial just now.

Been happy with results so far. So far i havent conceded more than 1 goal in a competitive game, conceding 5 goals in 10 league games. Will be aiming for a play off place which i think i can achieve.

Welcome to the thread Steelmen, good to see someone else taking on a Braintree save

Ger Rowe was a slow starter for me as well, but he really came on strong!

Im currently playing champions league football after finishing 4th in the Premiership last season, keep us up to date with you progress!!

Im doing something similar with Burton - just nudging the bottom of the playoffs in League 1 in 2012 - its been a hard slog so far !!!! what formation/tactics are you playing ? have you been changing each season ? ive just been using the basic 4-4-2 attacking style but not scoring anywhere near the amount of goals you have.....Bought a couple of players - but the best one so far is Danny Hossen - picked him up on one of those Scouting days - think he was from Liverpool.

Cheers

I use a 4-4-2 formation similar to that created by 'Knap', the following is a link to the thread where you can find information on said tactic.

http://community.sigames.com/showthread.php?t=85536

I rely on ensuring i have a strong striking partnership, i try to have a stronger more powerful striker coupled with a skillful flair player with high dribbling. The standard should apply to both as well, eg finishing, composure, decisions etc

I have used it fairly consistently throughout my career with Braintree, but obviously the more i progressed through the leagues, and the better players i managed to bring in, i increased things like creative freedom, as the players were far more likely to be able to be succesful in what they chose to do.

Im into January 2009 now and progessing well. Going well in the league and had a really good FA cup run.

League table - http://img12.imageshack.us/my.php?image=bluesquaresouth.png

Sitting in 2nd place and lookin good for getting atleast a play off place. Playing well so hopeful i can keep up the challenge for top spot.

In the FA cup i got to the first round where i was drawn against Port Vale. After a 1-1 draw at home i got a replay. Thinking i would get beat heavily i decided to change from my usual 4-4-2 to a 4-5-1. Saw myself trailing 2-0 at half time and i knew i made a mistake so switched back to 4-4-2 and Ger Rowe was brought on and scored a hattrick.

Here is the result - http://img53.imageshack.us/my.php?image=portvalevbraintree.png

This earned me a home tie against league 1 Crewe in the second round. A Danny Hockton penalty was enough to see me progress to the third round.

Crewe result - http://img12.imageshack.us/my.php?image=braintreevcrewe.png

The third round draw gave me a home tie against Hull. The match was moved to 12.30 for tv which earned the club £150,000. Lost the game 3-1 so the FA cup run was over

Hull result - http://img12.imageshack.us/my.php?image=braintreevhull.png

Transfers - http://img12.imageshack.us/my.php?image=braintreetown.png

Few more players have arrived since last update. Gary Phillip was on trial when i posted before, he was signed and Will Snowden signed after impressing on trial. Phillip is a left back and Snowden is a centre back. Sold Gareth Williams, Lee Burns and Joe Bruce so i still have some wages free if i see anyone else who will improve the squad.

Still in the conference cup and play Torquay away in the quarter finals. Lost to AFC Wimbledon in FA Trophy qualifing round.

Really enjoying the Braintree save, 1st time i have went a team from the Blue Square North/South and finding a good challenge.

Sounds like you are doing well Steelmen, a good cup run really helps the finances, its one of the major factors that determine your success in the BSS/BSN in my opinion, any money helps dramatically!

You sound like you are having a really good game, so keep it up fella!!

Well i quite fancied just popping up a few screenshots of my current team, playing in the premiership and champions league.

GK:

Rory Hall

Defence:

Jorge

Gabor Mezei

Midfield:

Andrei Voica

Joshua Boyce

Michael Dobson

Vincent Baudry

Attack:

Dentinho

Mahmoud Al-Junaibi

Thats some job getting Braintree into the premiership and then qualifing for the champions league. How you getting on in europe?

Got a few questions for you if you dont mind,

When you got promotion from blue square south to the blue square premier did you offer your players full time contracts or keep them part time?

Also did you keep any of your original squad for the blue square premier? If i get promoted i think theres a few who could make the step up but they would probably be more of a squad player rather than a 1st choice.

Thanks in advance

Hey, I didnt offer any full time contracts until i got into League 2, and i must admit, i made lots of transfers after every promotion, all free transfers mind.

Im doing well in Europe, i invested in youth in my first season in the prem, and they are coming on strong, im into the quarter finals at the moment!

End of season 2018/19

Into March 2009 now, been busy last few days so not had much time to play,

league table - http://img155.imageshack.us/my.php?image=bluesquaresouth.png

Sitting in 2nd place 3 points behind Welling. Sitting clear of 3rd at the moment so should be between Welling and us. Because i had the cup run it meant i had a few games in hand but ive managed to keep close to top spot. Drawn 10 games in the league which could cost me. Also had a game postponed because of a waterlogged pitch, 1st time in fm ive seen that

Postponed - http://img155.imageshack.us/my.php?image=frazersmith.png

Will hopefully get time to finish the season in the next few days