TIPTREE United are facing difficult times after their move into the Essex Senior League this season.The former FA Vase finalists were forced to sell their Chapel Road ground and they now share a ground with with Maldon Town at Park Drive.

Mike Bacon

TIPTREE United are facing difficult times after their move into the Essex Senior League this season.

The former FA Vase finalists were forced to sell their Chapel Road ground and they now share a ground with with Maldon Town at Park Drive. They have no budget to play with, but secretary John Wisbey is convinced better times are ahead.

Tiptree moved out of the Eastern Counties League last season looking for an alternative route into the Ryman League, but they are currently in the bottom half of the Essex Senior League.

“We have no visible income and supporters have got the right to ask what's going on,” Wisbey said.

“The bottom line is that, for the future of the club, the developers needed to get hold of Chapel Road, and we had to get out.

“The timing wasn't ideal and I'm convinced if it hadn't happened, Tiptree United would be cruising to the title in the Essex Senior League. But with no money at all, players were never going to stay.”

The Jam-Makers have moved in with Maldon and many of the better Tiptree players joined Colin Wallington's side.

That left Tiptree with much to do, a far cry from the heady days of a 2002 FA Vase final appearance. However the future isn't so bleak for fans of the non-league game in the Blackwater area.

The jungle drums beat loudly with Chapel Road set for development and Maldon and Tiptree likely to benefit. It's a case of watch this space.

The Essex Senior League is Tiptree's home for now and Wisbey won't have anything said against it.

“We were told the pitches were rubbish and the sides were poor in the Essex Senior League, but that simply hasn't been the case,” he added.

“The reputation of the League is unfair and there are many very nice people involved in it.

“If we hadn't had to move out of Chapel Road, we would have won the league hands-down with a real budget. Our managers Steve Wheeler and Gavin Axcell are doing a superb job.”