ANY players coming to Braintree Town and thinking they will have an easy time under the managerial regime of Brad Quinton can quickly turn around and think again.

Quinton enjoyed an incredible run of success over 12 seasons as a player at Braintree and is now hoping to have as much joy as boss.

It is a club that he knows better than most and knows exactly what is required from players to earn not only success on the pitch, but the respect of fans on the terraces.

Chairman Lee Harding told the Times in the wake of the club’s relegation from the National League last year that he wanted Braintree to get “back to basics” and to rebuild after their setback.

That’s a view that Quinton agrees with and in his eyes, getting “back to basics” stems from simple hard work by players.

He said: “I know you have to get belief in the fans as they are the ones who pay these players’ wages.

“They expect hard work and, as a manager, you have to get that into the team.

“The chairman was right to say about the club getting back to basics and what people want to see is the basic mentality of players working hard.

“Players are at this level because they are good players, but it is all about hard work and determination.

“You can’t just turn up, you have to be prepared for the hard work that needs to be put in on a wet evening in Weston Super Mare or places like that.

“There are going to be long journeys and we have to be mentally tough.

“I’m going to pummel that into my players and they will be prepared for each and every game.

“It will be a great journey and we will enjoy it as long as they are prepared to work hard for it.”

Quinton and his coaching team are beginning the process of building their first squad and they have almost a blank canvas to work from.

With no members of last year’s squad being offered terms of re-engagement ahead of his appointment, he can assemble a group that he feels matches his own aspirations.

He added: “We know the sort of players we are looking at and there will be some there who have previously been at the club.

“Over the next few weeks we will be speaking with boys and we’ll be very open with them about our expectations and about where we felt things went wrong last season.

“We feel we can get the right core together with the right philosophy.

“We know what this club is about – it’s about hard work.

“It will take time, but we have expectations of the players and we know that people will be very impressed with who we are looking at.

“It may be hard to keep our hands on them as there will be other clubs looking as well, but we are looking forward to it.

“I want a very close-knit squad of players and I demand people who work hard for one another.

“That’s what I need to see and if anyone thinks they will just turn up and go through the motions, then they won’t be with me.

“I’m and honest character and I give people the opportunity to work hard.

“If they do that then they will get their rewards from that hard work.

“Fans will have known me as a player and I’m the same as a manager and a coach.

“Fans need to get their money’s worth and to see that work ethic as they’re the ones who pay the players’ wages and I will see that they get that.”