A Message from Craig

[Billericay Town Unofficial]

http://www.billericaytownfc.co.uk/news/general/2208-a-message-from-craig.html

 

Back in 2010 I received a call from Steve Kent offering me the chance to manage Billericay Town Football Club. It took me the best part of two seconds to jump at it. I'd always been made so welcome here, it was local and gave me the opportunity of bringing some better times to a great club. I quickly asked my old warhorse of a centre half Kevin 'Rambo' Ramsay to come and assist me along with another great friend Steve Browne.

 

The club hadn't won anything since Ryman Division 2, some thirty years ago. In recent years they had fought off relegation and in the previous year been the lowest goalscorers in the whole of England up to Step 5, so it was a great challenge for us.

 

Steve had told me that the budget had to be reduced by £700. I asked him what his expectations were and he simply said to start enjoying it again. Yes our budget is tight, and we can't compete with the teams around us when a player is seeking the best financial deal but if that's not their major motivation we have always been able to promote the club as an attractive place to play their football.

From day one ...

 

... I loved it here. In that first season we finished a respectable 11th. However the abiding memory for me was after losing our 6th league game on the trot on a freezing cold night at Tooting in January we received a standing ovation walking off the pitch. I then walked into the bar totally devastated and the Chairman came over with a pint, told us to get our heads up and go again, tremendous. It gave us all such a lift. We then went on a fantastic run that culminated in an unforgettable night when won the Essex Senior Cup with a 2-0 win at Thurrock over Aveley.

 

We recognised where we needed to improve and worked very hard adding to the squad for the following season. What followed was akin to Hull City winning the Premiership. Every player we had could have got bigger rewards elsewhere but we sold ourselves, the club and the magnificent support we had always received. We scored so many late goals that season which was as much to do with the support we received as anything else. We needed to be very lucky with injuries and barring the shocking Nicky Morgan incident we were. Ironically our last defeat before the long sixteen match unbeaten run that took us to the title was at relegated Tooting. We also only managed to scrape a draw at home to Horsham who were already relegated by some 15 points and had conceded over 100 goals (it can happen to the best). The highlight of my managerial career was the game at Margate. The day we won the league.

 

We then took the giant leap up to the Conference South. We were totally out of our depth financially but up till Christmas doing amazingly well. Once again we needed to be very lucky injury wise alas this time we were not and lost six very important players for the rest of the season. We simply could not afford to get in good enough replacements and on a desperately sad day at Weston for us all we went down. Just like at Tooting our fantastic travelling army clapped us off, albeit with a good few tears. Just like at Tooting the Chairman came over with a pint in the bar and told me that the club has been going over a hundred & thirty years and that we had taken to its highest level of football ever, to get our heads up and go again next season. Support when it was needed most. I couldn't imagine that at any other club.

 

We decided that we needed to freshen it up as many of the better players decided to leave and a number of the newer replacements were not what we considered to be Billericay players. I met and spoke to some really good players in the summer as we looked to rebuild, players I really wanted to get in such as Stephan Payne, Scott Kinch, Sheldon Sellears amongst many, They were really top boys too but it quickly became apparent that we were light years off trying to afford them. We then decided we would 'go young' and build a squad of players with potential. This was obviously risky and a lot more difficult. Keeping the likes of Pooley and bringing back Halle was vital to give us some experience and know how. Also the example that they set the lads at every training session and how they look after themselves. We are extremely lucky to have such a great set of young lads to work with and putting this squad together is for me our biggest achievement since we have been at the club.

 

The club was left with a lot of debt from last season which has been exacerbated by the dreadful winter. I know a lot of people at the club have dug deep to help out. I know how tough it has been for Steve. Despite this the players money has been there week in week out. Steve has never spoken to me about cutting the budget, but we have managed to get it down a couple of hundred quid a week over the past three months to try and help out.

 

It's been a tough season for all of us and as has been documented our excellent away form has had to cover our dismal home record. There has been a very negative vibe at home games. I don't think it serves any purpose laying the blame on the home support or poor performances. I know from inside the dressing room the lads don't have the same confidence playing at home, but as I told them we are the only ones that can change that. I have to say getting booed off against Cray and then seeing them getting clapped off after all their antics was wrong and really deflated us. We then put in a really good shift at Wealdstone and were unfortunate to come away with nothing.

 

It was the end of a gruelling eight games in sixteen days. For non-league lads who work during the day that is a ridiculous schedule. We may not have played well against Enfield or Cray, but in both games we were camped in their half for the whole of the 2nd half, and as at Wealdstone giving everything until the final whistle. They have given their all and that's all I can ask, we have been very proud of their efforts.

 

We have risen the bar expectation-wise at the club, and the challenge is to live up to it. The only way that will happen is if we are all pulling in the same direction. As I have said the players we have are a great group and I have total faith in them. I hope we can keep the bulk of them and you will have as much of an influence on that as me. Hopefully we move forward together and once again make New Lodge the fortress it has always been.

 

Craig.

[Billericay Town Unofficial]

Hats off to the gaffer.

 

This is born of affection for the club Craig represents.  Every chairman wants the clubs fans to develop an emotion bond with the club they follow and Steve Kent seems to have got that in a manager too.

[Old Bod]

An excellent message from Craig but not factually correct and not for the first time.

 

The highest documented finish for the club i believe was 7th in the Ryman Premier  when automatic promotion was into the the football conference not trying to under mind the excellent work by Craig and his staff just lets not get carried away those who have supported the club longer will recall, because leagues are restructured does not take away the achievements of the past.

 

Just a small point please i don't have a tin hat but the good work of the latter years should not over shadow past achievements.

[GazzaBTFC]

A great message from Craig. I think it fair to say that there are those that have 20/20 vision as to the difficulties of the last two weeks and even though one or two performances certainly didn't live up to expectations, the hard work of everyone was appreciated. It's a shame that some have very short memories.

 

To be honest I prefer to live in the relative present than make too much noise of past glories. They are nice to reflect upon and relive on occasion but times and the club has moved on.

 

I think we have a core of players that certainly look the ticket as regards building to a successful season. I was of the understanding that we were rebuilding for the future here. My opinion is that a jump straight back to the conference south would be too much financially especially after the debts left over from the last season. But hey, if people want to get back quicker, perhaps they should contribute more. Controversial I know but the reality of the piece is just that.

 

Anyway, great piece.

[Old Bod]

Forgive me if i have misunderstood you but i was not reflecting on past glories just pointing out to those who may not be quite so informed of something that is not factually correct.

[nat]

An excellent message from Craig but not factually correct and not for the first time.

 

The highest documented finish for the club i believe was 7th in the Ryman Premier  when automatic promotion was into the the football conference not trying to under mind the excellent work by Craig and his staff just lets not get carried away those who have supported the club longer will recall, because leagues are restructured does not take away the achievements of the past.

 

Just a small point please i don't have a tin hat but the good work of the latter years should not over shadow past achievements.

 

Agreed he is not slow to big himself up. Team building is a fallacy at this level. Players can and do walk...for bigger wages or better prospects of success unless you have them on contract which won't happen in most cases.

 

The falling attendances have spoken volumes. Although attendances are generally down across non-league football there are some notable exceptions. Billericay has a large catchment area and should be attracting bigger crowds.

[billericayboy28]

My only problem with on the pitch affairs is the long ball football. In my personal opinion it's not the way i like to play and i think if we didnt rely so much on a target man we'd be in a better place this year,i dont expect barcelona, but we do get called the stoke city of non league. Doesnt mean im a clueless or unpassionate fan which usually gets said if a bit of criticism o

[billericayboy28]

Gets said on here, i still believe we will be promotion hopefuls next season!

[RegF]

Well said Craig.

 

As a "long distance" supporter who is in the fortunate position to have revelled in the past glory days I also remember the darker days of freezing Tuesday nights in February when 50 brave souls would watch a terrible game between 2 ordinary sides with no passion.

 

To this day I don't know why I used to go (maybe it was the beer served by Keith in the clubhouse?) but I did and once Billericay gets under your skin it's difficult to stop and it seems that Craig wants that passion to return.

 

Non-league football needs that passion as unless you have a Russian billionaire backing you it is a tough business.

 

I saw another post recently where someone quite rightly mentioned that this season is now over (as far as relegation or promotion is concerned) and we should consider "blooding" some youngsters.

 

This would make sense though of course the concern is that we may push players that are not ready, too soon and cause other issues.

 

I think that the bigger task is to retain as many of the squad that have served us well and build from that core for a more successful 2014/15 season.

 

The Conference is of course the carrot but just to be around the play offs will bring the crowds back and maybe a few "cup exploits" thrown in would be the icing on the cake!

 

In the meantime let’s all stay on the same side and give the boys a shout!

 

ps...only 24c today so might have to get the thermals out...

[Brightside Bloke]

At the risk of upsetting the moderators on this so called FANS forum,

 

I think Craig's is an excellent article and just what some of us fans/supporters need.  Well done fella.

 

 

 

 

 

COYB

[Old Bod]

Still factually incorrect thou !

[Top Cat]

Well done Craig,  it’s not been easy this season for all the reasons he mentions, the aim was to rebuild the team and although at the beginning expectations were high and we were looking for a bounce from Conference South, in reality getting into the paly-offs would have been hard to achieve. Craig will develop the core of a team to be able to challenge next season and throw in a good cup run, the excitement and fans will return.

[The Town Crier]

At the risk of upsetting the moderators on this so called FANS forum,

 

I think Craig's is an excellent article and just what some of us fans/supporters need.  Well done fella.

 

 

 

 

 

COYB

 

Didn't see the point of the first line BB, doubt it upset, so no harm done.

 

 

 

Still factually incorrect thou !

 

its about being positive Old'n, !!

back in the day there was no conference north and south and the step below conference had 3 divisions and probably  66 teams?

 

Now its two divisions and 44 teams.

 

But we get your point, and I wouldn't necessarily disagree.

[Brightside Bloke]

Thanks for your input TC 

[Old Bod]

TC i might be old but i am not going back to yesteryear it does however state on the official website under club history that a 7th place In the Ryman Premier was and still is the highest ever finish achieved in the football pyramid.

That finish was 7th at level 6.

 

Call me old fashioned but i prefer when trumpets are being blown that statements are correct and i fail to see that the name of the league a club plays in changes its history.

[Brightside Bloke]

Glad to report that our Facebook page regarding this topic has had over a thousand hit's over the last 24hrs. I think the picture of our team manager was a big help (for the lady supporters) 

 

Well done again Sir.

 

https://www.facebook.com/203136729859048/photos/a.203406643165390.1073741831.203136729859048/255632251276162/?type=1&theater

[extaffyjim]

TC i might be old but i am not going back to yesteryear it does however state on the official website under club history that a 7th place In the Ryman Premier was and still is the highest ever finish achieved in the football pyramid.

That finish was 7th at level 6.

 

Call me old fashioned but i prefer when trumpets are being blown that statements are correct and i fail to see that the name of the league a club plays in changes its history.

 

Get your point entirely, but the simple fact is that a level 6 league with two divisions below the conference is a higher level than when there were 3 divisions feeding into it. You can read into it whichever way you like (and personally I agree with your interpretation). Lies, damn lies and all that

[RegF]

Get your point entirely, but the simple fact is that a level 6 league with two divisions below the conference is a higher level than when there were 3 divisions feeding into it. You can read into it whichever way you like (and personally I agree with your interpretation). Lies, damn lies and all that

..from memory, lies, damn lies and statistics (or should that be Lawyers?.arf arf arf) which of course is exactly the point (apparently) being raised here...to be honest if that is the worst that can be said, I for one would give Craig the benefit of the doubt.

 

Let's just get on with the fact that we are all after the best result for the blues and take a half full glass option towards our team.

 

COYB!!!  

[Brightside Bloke]

..from memory, lies, damn lies and statistics (or should that be Lawyers?.arf arf arf) which of course is exactly the point (apparently) being raised here...to be honest if that is the worst that can be said, I for one would give Craig the benefit of the doubt.

 

Let's just get on with the fact that we are all after the best result for the blues and take a half full glass option towards our team.

 

COYB!!!  

 

Exactly 

 

COYB 

[Bill of Shenfield]

Does it matter if we are in the Conference or Essex Senior League? We go to watch BTFC, OK the higher we are the better the football and officials should be but this does not always follow.

 

I like to go to see the fans and friends, have a drink and enjoy a game of football. I have been watching Billericay on and off for over 50 years and will continue as long as I can.