Mark Sansom is excited about his new role in helping to build Braintree Town off the pitch, but is sorry that it will end his time in charge of the club’s reserve team.

Sansom has joined the Iron’s board to take on a sales and marketing role, but while he will stay on as Braintree Town Academy manager, his new commitments on first-team match days means he is stepping down as reserves boss after six years in charge.

He said he will be sad to walk away after his last game in charge – the Thurlow Nunn League division one game at Stowmarket – on November 22, but is also looking forward to the new challenge ahead.

Sansom said: “I’m very excited about it as I’ve been involved with the club since I was 13 – 27 years ago – when my first job under George Roslin was to open and close the boardroom door when the directors came in and out.

“Now I’ve joined as an associate board member as commercial director where my responsibility will be to sell the club that I love. I’ll be looking at ways and means to get the community more involved with the club."

See this week's paper for the full version of this story.