BRAINTREE Town chairman Lee Harding insists playing their football at the 'highest sustainable level' remains the club's main objective.

But the long-serving Iron supremo has stressed that they will not gamble with the future of the club, in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

Braintree look set for another season in National League South, after the 2019-20 campaign was curtailed due to the Covid-19 outbreak.

George Borg's side were 21st in the table when the season was suspended, on March 16.

Clubs voted to end the campaign in April but promotion issues are yet to be determined, with much depending on the outcome of the EFL vote next week.

Harding said: "We've shown the potential of the club and of the town but we also have to operate in the real world.

"We've had good times and had bad.

"But for a club like Braintree operating on a part-time basis with limited crowds, for us to be operating at a high level just outside the Football League I think shows that we know what we're doing and that there is potential.

"We do not panic and we do not gamble.

"The target remains to play our football at the highest sustainable level possible.

"I first got involved at Braintree when I was still in my thirties.

"We've worked very hard and we've had some success, in that time."

Braintree's last competitive game was their 1-0 home defeat at the hands of St Albans City, on March 14.

The lack of football has been financially detrimental for clubs at all levels, with no fans coming through the turnstiles.

However, chairman Harding feels it was the right decision to call football to a halt.

He said: "My view is that was right to effectively suspend football.

"There are clearly more important things going on in life.

"Sadly, there are so many people dying and falling ill and that has to be an all-consuming priority.

"But I do believe that we will come out of this on the other side and we have to reassess our priorities, in life.

"We have to look after our nurses, the police officers, the fire fighters more."

Braintree supporters will be able to purchase their season tickets from Saturday, June 13 and as usual with have the early bird discount.

The discounted prices will be available until June 20.