STABILITY IS KEY TO EDWARDS DYNASTY
AT the end of August, things were looking bleak for Billericay Town.
Four points from their first two games in the Ryman Premier Division were followed by four straight losses. Some clubs may have panicked, but that is not Billericay’s way. They won their next eight games in all competitions.
Manager Craig Edwards, a former Arsenal junior and professional boxer, is in his seventh season at Billericay. Promotion to the Conference South in 2012 – the highest level the club has played at – is the most notable achievement of his time and although those heights haven’t been reached recently, Edwards continues to develop strong teams despite losing key players each close season.
“Every year through the summer we’ll lose the bulk of the squad,” he says. “People know we get good young players in and invariably they get better offers. Last year we lost 15 of the 17 players we had. This year it was nine of the 17, so it does take time for a new team to settle.
“It is very frustrating at times, but there’s also nothing like the challenge of starting with a blank canvass and having to build a side. Our biggest forte is team building. We build teams who are organised, who have spirit, and the group we have this year are so exciting to watch.”
The club plays an important role in this small Essex town, as regular crowds of over 200 prove, and despite the New Lodge ground not being the most salubrious, it’s atmosphere is welcoming and a willing band of volunteers keep things ticking over.
On the pitch, an emphasis on youth has been a key feature of Billericay Town teams under Edwards and they run the Under-21s – who won their league last season – and first team squad as one group. It was a young side that beat Chippenham Town in the FA Cup last weekend to take them just one game away from the first round.
“It is a young squad this year, but a very talented squad. What you do get with youngsters is inconsistency. With an experienced side, you don’t get the complacency creep in and we’ve had that a few times this year, so we have to remind them occasionally.”
Going forward is Billericay’s strength, and despite being wasteful in front of goal on a number of occasions, strikers Greg Cundle, signed on loan from Gillingham, plus Kreshnic Krasniqi and wingers Junior Luke and Quinten Monville, add up to a potent attacking threat.
“I always set our teams up to go and win games and score goals, and when we’ve had our better teams they have always had goals in them from everywhere. The goals have been shared round and we have a lot of goal threat.”
After a recent spate of managerial sackings at non-league level, Edwards, who has previously been at Chelmsford City and Grays Athletic among others, believes stability is undervalued.
“Some of the sackings are absolutely ridiculous. This season, we lost four on the trot and if you had a triggerhappy chairman, they might have got someone else in. The more stable clubs tend to do better.”