BRAINTREE TOWN chairman Lee Harding says some of the club’s January spending plans may have to stay on hold while they try to catch up on their backlog of home fixtures.

A waterlogged Amlin Stadium pitch saw a pre-Christmas game against Macclesfield called off and has now twice postponed lucrative games against local rivals Cambridge United.

A big crowd was expected for the original New Year’s Day fixture against Cambridge, and while a smaller attendance was anticipated for Tuesday’s rescheduled game, the latest postponement means there has still been no revenue from games coming into the coffers.

Harding, whose side are in Skrill Premier action at Woking today, said: “Alan (Devonshire) is keen to go into the marketplace, but that goes on hold a bit until we are sure of the full implications of the New Year’s Day call-off.

“It would have been a good crowd and it won’t be the same playing on a Tuesday evening, so our income will be affected.

“It won’t help us, that’s for sure.

“I know Alan is talking to people all the time and the good thing is the window is open all the way through January, but it’s up in the air at the moment.

“If it was just the Macclesfield game it wouldn’t be a major issue. But Cambridge was set to be the highest gate of the season.

“Losing that game on New Year’s Day cost us not thousands but tens of thousands of pounds.

“We try to run a tight ship, but when you take that kind of money away it will be hard for a club of our size.

“We know we will get the games played eventually, but it is hitting our income now.”