Searle tells fans he wants to be Braintree boss next year

Searle gave an impassioned presentation to an open forum of Braintree Town fans at Cressing Road on Thursday night when he outlined his vision for how the club can move forward in the closing weeks of this season and beyond.

It has not been an easy campaign for Braintree and they are still rock bottom of the Vanarama National League table heading into the final month of the season.

However, Searle, who only took over as boss following the departure of Hakan Hayrettin in January, is keen to remain at the helm into next year, in whatever league they may end up in.

When asked by fan Mat Marshall if he would be leading the team next season, Searle said: “I’m Braintree Town Football Club manager and I am until someone tells me differently.

“I haven’t signed a contract but to be honest, do I need one?

“Me standing in front of you and saying what I am shows how passionate I am about staying here and how much I want to do it.

“I think the chairman and board have recognised that.

“I don’t do anything by half measures – what’s the point?

“I’ve worked at football at the highest levels and to be honest I know contracts often aren’t worth the paper they’re written on.

“All I can say is that everything I’m planning is towards us having a real go next season and being the best we possibly can.

We’ll see about myself having a contract but everything I’m doing is planning towards me being here next year as manager.”

But Searle said the club moving forward should be more than about just one person leading it and he is keen for the Iron to shape a strong identity that fans can rally around.

“Whether I stay or go, this shouldn’t be about me,” he added.

“I’m just the custodian at the moment and I just want to build a culture here at the football club where you employ managers to be a part of that culture rather than every time a new manager comes in, he changes everything.

“I think you have to be bigger than that as a club.

“You have to take pride in what you are doing and when you do an interview process for a new manager look for whether he fits in with what you are about rather than thinking ‘oh, he’s done alright, let’s throw him in’.

“Does he tick our boxes? Is he going to be what Braintree want?”

Searle acknowledged that it had been a tough season for the club, but was quick to point out that everyone associated with them was committed to seeing them succeed.

He added: “I doesn’t matter who you are – staff, player, volunteer, fan – we all want the same thing.

“That is for this club to be a success.

“Now it may feel like we are pulling in different directions at times, but the journey we all want to go on is the same.

“I want everyone to realise that when people make decisions, 99.9 per cent of the time, whether it is a management decision, a player decision, a board decision or a fans decision, you are never doing it to the detriment of the club.

“You are doing what you feel is right and in the best interests of the club at that moment in time.”

But when asked how long it would take for fortunes to turn around and for his plans to start to bear fruit, Searle was realistic in saying it was a question that relied on how receptive fans were to what was going on at the club.

He said: “It will take as long as it takes depending on how many hands we get on board.

“It may take more volunteers to get on board to get things done; one plan may take a year, another may take two months.

“But I’d be kidding myself if I put a time limit on it.

“I want everything done yesterday but as a club, we will be looking at what our priorities are to make sure we have a brand in place.

“I get it that the product is out on the pitch and it does make a massive difference if you’re winning but if you can wrap that up in everything else then it doesn’t half make it easier.

“What I will say is that if I’m stood here this time next year and we’re still having the same conversation then I’ll probably give you my resignation because I won’t have done my job properly.”