Whisper It Quietly, But Billericay Are Still Bubbling Away

Big name signings, big promises from owner and manager Glenn Tamplin and, just by reading his tweets, a big old budget to go with it.

Happy to tell you exactly what was going on, and exactly how much he was spending on his new purchase, the businessman wasn’t shy. The fans, for the first time in a long time, were excited.

Twelve months on, Billericay are going about their business with a more hushed and measured approach. But don’t be fooled into thinking their ambition has levelled since promotion.

While most teams would look to secure their place in the coming season, for Dean Inman and the Blues, the bar has only been raised.

The club were a Conference South side in 2011 and have returned after seven years out, it is time to try again.

Inman is going for a hat-trick. A winner of the National League South with Maidenhead United, he took the Bostik title after dropped two divisions.

“Most teams that go up want to stabilise themselves in the league,” he said. “But we’re not that kind of a club in a lot of ways.

“I really do think with the squad that we have got, we could really make a go of it and finish towards the top of the table.

“Havant did it, they went and done the back to back, so we will be looking to do that ourselves.”

The 27-year old believes that the squad that is available to manager Harry Wheeler, now in charge after Tamplin took a back seat, is experienced and has different types of players.

He said that the National League South will be as tough as it has ever been with a number of clubs going for promotion.

The club have strengthened by bringing in a number of new faces, with a lot of players departing following the promotion season.

“We have signed a number of players with experience,” he adds.

“Moses Emmanuel is someone I played with at Maidenhead, he is a good player along with Simon Walton and Callum Kennedy at left back who I think could be one of the better players in his position next season.

“If you look around the changing room there is players who have actually won this league with different clubs and there’s some who have won promotion to league two as well as play-offs at Wembley.

“It is key when you look how competitive the season is going to be next year, probably the hardest it has been for a good few years.”

Inman shared the feeling that both him and the squad went through to win the promotion to the National League South and that they were under pressure.

Town were promoted as champions after a 2-0 win against Harlow at the end of the season.

“It was a good feeling,” he said. “There was a lot of pressure on us with the budget that we had to get the result on the pitch.

“We hit a bad spell at the worst possible time and it was tough for us, but we got together and managed to finish the season with three trophies.

“When we finally won the league against Harlow, it was a mixture of happiness and relief that we had done it with all the pressure on us. It was a great night to be part of the celebrations.

“When I won it with Maidenhead, it was a two-horse race between us and Ebbsfleet, but this year it is going to be a three or even four team race.

“As well as the way only one go up automatically and then one in the play-offs, so we know the challenge we are up against,” he said.

Players that have been brought into the club over the past couple of years include ex-England international Paul Konchesky and former Wolves man Jamie O’Hara.

The 24-year old believes that the owner should take some credit due to the style of player that he entices to the football club.

“Glenn is great, all about what he does and the money that he puts into the squad,” he said.

“He has been brilliant. Obviously with the signings that we have been making, he has said to Harry to go and get the players and has backed him financially with that.

“It is great to see from a player’s perspective because you don’t want to play for a team who will settle for mid table really, you want to be at a club who is willing to push on and that is the case here at Billericay.

“A lot of people compare Billericay to the southern version of Salford City, and with the money that has gone into it, not the experience on the board but definitely with the backing of the manager.

“Harry needs to take a lot of credit, he has brought in players who are of a good standard but are also going to play for the shirt and not going to disrupt the dressing room, which is important,” the defender added.

PHOTOS BY NICKY HAYES