BRAINTREE Town's Vanarama National League South fixtures for the new season will be released on Wednesday, July 6 with the campaign kicking off on Saturday, August 6, writes DAVID WARD.

This was confirmed at the league's annual meeting in Newport on Saturday when it was revealed that the season would end on April 29, 2023.

Divisional play-offs are to be played the following week with the culmination of the finals over May 13/14.

It will mean the Iron will play 25 league games before Christmas and another 21 after and there will be four teams regulated from each division now the Conference is up to its full capacity of 72 clubs.

One major change for all clubs this season will be stiffer disciplinary measures for managers, coaches and other officials on their respective benches during matches where anyone receiving a red card for foul and abusive language to match officials in a game will be forced to leave the ground.

Previously any miscreant was allowed to stay in the ground but well away from the team bench on the touch line.

Other similar disciplinary measures will also be tightened in a bid to avoid match day confrontation with officials and allow a smoother running of the match.

A move by the top National League division alone to see the number of their substitutes increased to six with five being able to be used in a game was defeated despite 15 clubs voting for the move and nine against but it failed to win the 75 per cent needed to be passed.

Widespread criticism of the recent National League play-off final at the London Stadium over ticket prices was admitted by the league's board at the meeting with a promise 'that lessons have been learned' and they hope to avoid a repeat at next year's final.

The meeting also heard that every member club would shortly be receiving £7,500 cash boost from the National Lottery toward community funding for the coming season.

The Iron kick off their pre-season friendlies at Newmarket Town on Saturday, July 9.