STRIKER Tom Richardson says Braintree Town manager Glen Driver’s track record speaks for itself and he has total faith that the new Iron boss will carry on his success as he steps up to the second tier of non-league football.

Richardson, who has arrived at the Iron on the back of a prolific campaign at Aveley last season, is playing under Driver for the first time, but he has come up against his sides in opposition enough to know that the former Leiston boss knows how to engineer success.

However, the 25-year-old former Brightlingsea Regent and East Thurrock man knows that success may not come instantly and he said players as well as fans may need to have patience as the new-look squad gel in the early part of the Vanarama National League South season.

Richardson said: “You can see sometimes on the pitch that a player may come unstuck and it has happened a couple of times (during pre-season), but Glen has a way that he wants us to play.

“There will be mistakes at whatever level you see football and this is no different, but the key is that we stick at it and don’t change it every five minutes after a mistake.

“Glen has said he won’t berate anyone for making a mistake and we will keep playing that way until we get it right.

“Glen’s track record speaks for itself.

“When he came in (as manager) at Leiston, they weren’t used to playing a certain way, but I played against his sides there a few times and by the end, they were a very, very good footballing side.

“We just have to have faith in Glen that he is coming into a new project again and if he says he will turn it round again then fair play to him.”

While Richardson has had some experience playing at step two before, there are plenty in the squad that Driver has brought in who haven’t, but the Iron manager has said that he is happy to be working with players who have a hunger to move up and progress.

And the Iron striker said an appetite to prove themselves is going to be a big weapon in their armoury this year.

Richardson added: “We’re not one of the biggest household names in this league; we know that, but what we are is a group of young hungry players and you can’t substitute for that.

“You get some big-name players going from club to club at this level but what Glen has brought in are hungry players who may have been at this level for a while, but are keen to prove themselves.

“I’ve seen it at training sessions.

“it’s 100 miles an hour all the time and I think when Glen eventually gets the squad down to what he wants, the players that will be in a Braintree shirt will be giving 100 per cent game-in game-out.”

The Iron are looking forward to their first home game of the season tonight, with Billericay Town heading to the Ironmongery Direct Stadium. Drivers' men suffered a 2-0 defeat at Bath City, on Saturday. They have another home game next weekend, against Wealdstone.