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Tales from the National League - The experienced head leading the league's youngest side in another survival battle
The most fascinating thing about the National League this season is the mix of clubs and personalities at both ends of the experience spectrum.
The league currently boasts some of the biggest names that have ever managed in the English game, including Mark Hughes, Simon Grayson and Robbie Savage. There are also a plethora of former Football League clubs in England's fifth tier this season.
Yet, the beauty of the National League is that it mixes these so-called 'bigger' teams with clubs that have come up through the lower leagues or established names at this level, like Braintree Town.
The Essex club moved back to the National League in 2024 following promotion, and has spent nine out of the last 17 seasons in the division.
However, that record was nearly halted last year, when it looked like their return to the fifth tier would be short-lived. A poor start saw Angelo Harrop lose his job, and in his place came former assistant Steve Pitt, who was tasked with keeping The Iron from the drop.
"I think it's common knowledge that the club was in a very, very difficult position," Pitt told DAZN News in an exclusive sitdown with the Braintree boss.
"When I walked in the door, the atmosphere throughout the club was difficult. And it needed re-energising.
"I think it's fair to say that most people outside of the club, possibly inside the club, had written us off when I walked in.
"So, it was just a question of really getting everybody, players, officials, fans, to believe in what we were doing and how we were going to do that and get them to believe that there was a way forward and a way out of the dilemma that we found ourselves in."
A way out was found by Pitt and his coaching team, with Braintree managing to avoid the drop and finishing four points above the bottom three.
His staff includes former Colchester United stalwart Karl Druig, who Pitt calls the 'perfect' foil, and the dynamic worked in keeping the side in the league.
@braintreetownfc
This season, however, is another challenge.
Not only did the club have to deal with losing key players such as the talented Kayrell Lisbie and rejuvenated Matt Robinson, as much as Pitt wishes them well in the next stage of their career, but they also now have a squad lacking in experience, something which is normally seen as currency in this league.
"We're the youngest group in the division," Pitt admits.
"We worked out after one particular game recently and our average age was about 21 years and nine months, which is exceptional for the division when you consider the experience that there is in the division, certainly amongst a lot of the bigger teams."
That squad turnaround and a wrath of injuries have contributed to a difficult start for Braintree, where once again they find themselves in the bottom four after the first 14 games of the season.
However, Pitt doesn't show too much concern. He's quick to point out the difficult fixtures they've faced so far and the players he's lost, but believes in his young side.
@braintreetownfc
Reflecting on the start, he said, "It's been a difficult start. But we're by no means negative about the situation that we find ourselves in,"
"When you look at our opening gambit of games and you consider that in the first 10 games, we played seven of the top nine.
"We should have beaten York, let alone taken a point from them. But we lost to a 94th-minute penalty. We drew with Forest Green and we should have been 3-0 up at halftime - and that's by Robbie's(Savage) own admission.
"It's been a challenging start, but it comes with the territory, doesn't it? We achieved the near-impossible last season, but we've lost some exceptionally good players that I would have loved to have kept around me.
"We've now got some really young, exciting players in the building. That I think are going to go on to really, really good things within the game and bigger and better things.
"We're still gelling. But we're not a million miles away from where we need to be."
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