Braintree Town chairman Lee Harding believes early indications are “favourable” that the club will achieve the ground grading requirements it needs to meet.

Football League assessors were at the Amlin Stadium on Friday to look at the improvements that the club has made in order to stay in the Blue Square Bet Premier next year.

The Iron have had to upgrade parts of the ground to meet specific Football League requirements, such as its capacity, changing facilities and turnstiles at a cost of £175,000.

Despite looking like they will finish safely in mid-table in their first year in the Blue Square Bet Premier, they will face automatic relegation back to the Blue Square Bet South if the requirements aren’t met by the March 31 deadline.

However, Harding said the signs are looking good.

The Iron have been helped by a £150,000 loan from Braintree District Council to get the necessary improvement works done and supporters have also raised cash towards the cost.

Cold weather in February set the schedule back by about two weeks, but the time has been made up and it looks as if the club’s hard work has paid off.

Harding said: “The assessors came down and had a look around and I think it all looks favourable, but we now have to wait for it to all be confirmed by the authorities.

“The early indications are that it is favourable, though, as we have done everything that they have asked us to do.

“I think we’ll find out how it has gone in the next few days.”

See the paper this week for the latest update on the ground assessment and all the news and views on the Iron.