MANAGER Brad Quinton insists that contracts will have to be earned by players who sign on for Braintree Town this year.

Having completed their pre-season fixtures with a 0-0 draw against Chelmsford City last weekend, Quinton is now finalising his plans ahead of the start of the Vanarama National League campaign - at home against FC Halifax Town - on Saturday.

The Iron boss is well aware of the financial constraints he has to work with in the playing budget he has and he has continued talking with players this week to get those who he wants signed on and registered so they will be properly ready for the season's opener.

However, Quinton said he wouldn't be offering contracts until he was sure that players were pressing themselves and completing the fitness work he felt they needed to be doing.

He said: “I’m happy with what I’ve seen from the boys when they’ve been with me in training and in the pre-season games, but some of them – possibly 50 to 60 per cent of the squad – needs to be doing more when they’re not with me.

“That’s the reason contracts (for players) have not been taken out of my drawer yet.

“When they do step up - and I think they have stepped up in the last couple of weeks - then the cobwebs will be dusted off those contracts in my drawer and we’ll start sitting down with them to sign them.

“It’s possible, though, that the Halifax game might come round without that happening.

“It just has to be right for the club for it to happen.

“The club can’t just throw pound notes around at people, it has to be right and fit into the budget.

“We all have to be realistic with what we do."

It is set to be a busy few days for Quinton and his management team as they finalise discussions with players ahead of the first game and the Iron boss said he was placing the ball in players' courts about whether they wish to be a part of Braintree Town's National League journey this season or not.

And he is glad that there are no transfer window restrictions as he will still be able to make alterations after Saturday in a way that was denied to some of Braintree's previous managers when they led the club in the top flight of non-league football.

“I'm sitting down with the chairman now and negotiating what we can and can’t do," added Quinton.

“What I’ve said to the guys is that they’re all welcome if they’re prepared to sign and be a part of this club.

“If they want to fight for their shirt by being involved and in the squad then there is money from the club ready to be paid into their account.

“But it has to be done the right way and they either accept that and we’ll welcome them or they don’t accept it and we wish them well.

“I’m not going to turn my back on any of those players.

“They’re all welcome and they should all be a part of what we’re about to do, but it does now come down to negotiating.

“The ball is in their court whether they accept or not what the club can offer.

“It’s not ‘sorry, you’re not worth it’ or ‘sorry, you’re not worth what you’re asking for’, it’s all down to what the club can afford.

“There are players who want contracts, but it doesn’t always work like that at this level.

“You have to earn the right to get that contract and we’ll see how it goes when they’ve played three or four games at this level.

“We could get four or five games in and the squad may look different from what it does on Saturday for that first game.

“That’s down to the players and, ultimately, my opinion of them.

“There is no transfer window closing for clubs at our level now, which is different to how it was when Devs (Alan Devonshire) and Danny Cowley were here.

“That’s good as it helps the club and I’m freer to make changes as we go into the season.

“There are restrictions on how many loanees you can have in your squad – up to 13 for one season – but it’s easier with signing players.

“There are still players being released from other clubs and we’ll still be looking at them so it doesn’t really stop."