Gareth Dean makes ‘full-time’ Brackley Town hint as Saints enter new era
Brackley Town’s new deputy head of recruitment, legendary former captain Gareth Dean, has admitted the Saints may have to consider becoming a full-time club if they are to progress.
Last season’s brief stint in the National League marked Brackley’s highest ever position in the pyramid - Step 1 - but an immediate relegation back to the National League North proved the Saints were not quite ready.
Although there are currently no immediate plans to make Brackley a full-time outfit, Dean has hinted it may be an eventual transition.
“A lot of people talk around full-time models for the future, whether that’s a model the club want to look for,” Dean told @BrackleyTownFC.
“If they want to get back into the National League, that’s probably something they need to look at for sustainability at that level.”
On that topic, goalkeeping coach Ali Worby added: “We were in a league where most teams - if not all teams - were full-time.
“Being part-time was a big ask, especially when we had six back-to-back Thursday trainings and Saturday-Tuesday, Saturday-Tuesday.
“It was relentless. Especially getting those lads (living further away) to travel in on a Monday or a Thursday, it’s tough.”
Dean’s new role at Brackley will see him overseeing a host of departments, but aiding recruitment is his primary responsibility following his retirement as a player.
Aiming to succeed in his latest career turn, the 36-year-old will work closely with head coach Andy Whing and fellow recruitment specialist Joe Taylor.
On broadening the Saints’ horizons, Dean added: “What does it look like in terms of budgets, players, also things like restrictions around the locality of Brackley?
“How do we enhance our radius and pool of players we can pull into the club?
“Travel is a big thing in football now and other clubs are putting on accommodation, where they can ultimately pick anyone around the UK because they can put them in a house near the football club.
“There’s loads of things the club can learn to ultimately bring a better profile of player in and help the club grow with the ever-evolving world of football.”