Up for sale Essex club Braintree Town still owed hundreds of thousands of pounds in payments from UEFA

BRAINTREE TOWN chairman Lee Harding says the Essex club are owed hundreds of thousands of pounds in payments from the game’s top associations with regards to their players old and current competing in UEFA competitions.

“Our club are still owed money – lots of it, hundreds of thousands of pounds – by The FA, UEFA and FIFA,” said Mr Harding in a statement published on the club website.

“Over two years ago we were promised payment by The FA for player’s salaries paid by our club when they were away playing international football in UEFA competitions.

“As well as that, we are still to receive hundreds of thousands of points from transfer sell on fees and FIFA’s club benefits programme for Tommy Smith’s involvement in last summer’s World Cup (New Zealand).  Money that was promised to us in July – but we may now not see until the New Year.

“You may be thinking it’s just more excuses, but if you don’t believe me, speak with our Secretary Adrian Marston, who has been battling away just to get coherent answers, let alone money, out of associations that are supposed to be ‘for clubs and the game.’”

The Cressing Road outfit are currently sitting in the relegation zone in the sixth-tier Enterprise National League South table, fourth-from-bottom with 10 points (three wins, one draw and eight defeats) and are level on points with the side immediately above them, Chesham United.

The long-standing chairman has provided an update on his aims of selling the club and will only sell to parties that are interested in the footballing side rather than the land the stadium sits on.

Mr Harding said: “The six-man board that took us to the (National League) play-off games with Grimsby (in 2016) are now just two, Vic Dixon and me.  But our personal positions have remained consistent for a number of years and we remain prepared to step down when we believe we have better people for us to pass the club on to – when the time is right.

“So, about the future.  Vic and I have spoken with several interested parties. As well as us, we’re also looking after the interests of good Club people who have supported the club financially for decades.

“Vic and I are determined to protect the football club we’ve all been so proud to represent for a quarter of a century, while ensuring that nobody will be making a profit out of the club – just safeguarding the position of those involved and the Club itself.

“While our time running the Club may be coming to a close, many of the interested parties that Vic and I have spoken with seem to be entirely focused on the assets (primarily the land) owned by the company that runs the Club, while only displaying a passing interests in the football.

“The adage of ‘be careful what you wish for, lest it come true,’ comes to mind but I hope the next 25 years can mirror the progress of the previous.”

Visit Braintree Town’s website: www.braintreetownfc.org.uk