To conclude our look into our opponents for the 2024/25 Vanarama National League season we take a look at some of our furthest trips to the South-East.

From Essex to right on the South-East coast here is everything Rovers fans need to know about Braintree Town, Southend United and Dagenham & Redbridge.

BRAINTREE TOWN - ‘THE IRON’

Rovers will make the 310-mile round trip when we visit Cressing Road to take on Braintree Town next season.

The club formed in 1898 has spent the last five seasons battling in the National League South for a spot back in the fifth tier.

HEADING UP

After five seasons in the National League South, the Iron achieved promotion to the National League following their Play-off final victory over Worthing.

Angelo Harrop guided his side to a fifth place finish - the club’s highest finish at that level since 2011 thanks to suffering just one defeat in their final six matches.

STAR ON LOAN

One of the Iron’s most recognisable past players would be former Sunderland and Blackburn Rovers forward, Bradley Dack.

Dack spent a month on loan at the Iron during his time at Gillingham only making four appearances in which he found the net once.

FANBASE

Despite earning promotion, the Iron’s average home attendance was ranked 18th in the National League South with 803 fans recorded per game.

SOUTHEND UNITED - ‘THE SHRIMPERS’

Tough times have loomed over the Shrimpers head in recent times due to financial problems leading the club, who spent a century in the Football League.

But to the delight of the fans on the 26th of June 2024 a winding-petition looming over the club was dismissed by the High Court.

UNCERTAIN SUCCESS

On the pitch the players put some belief back into their support achieving a respectable ninth place finish in the National League.

The Shrimpers finished just six points off the play-offs following an impressive end of season run losing just one of their final 16 matches.

SOUTHEND TO MERSEYSIDE

The Shrimpers may not have had a more successful player than former Liverpool forward, Stan Collymore who featured for the club between 1992-1993.

Collymore made 30 appearances finding the 15 times earning him a move to Nottingham Forest for a club record fee of £2.25 million.

INSPIRING POP STAR

Back in 2015, former midfielder Ryan Leonard was enjoying a hot patch of form - when asked what the inspiration behind it the Canadian popstar, Justin Bieber was mentioned due to his music.

Following Leonard’s confession, Bieber was pictured with a Southend shirt and was also invited by the club to experience a match at the Roots Hall Football Stadium.

DAGENHAM & REDBRIDGE - ‘THE DAGGERS’

Rovers’ fans will remember fondly the last time we met the Daggers back in 2017 with goals from Christian Doidge and Keanu Marsh-Brown securing a 2-0 victory in the Play-off semi-finals sending us to Wembley for our promotion to the Football League.

LAST SEASON

Ben Strevens led his side to a 15th place finish in the National League last time out.

The Daggers ended the season strong losing just one of their final seven matches securing them a spot in the fifth tier for a ninth straight season.

LIFE BEFORE ROVERS

Before becoming Rovers record goal scorer, Doidge spent two years with the Daggers between 2014-2016 during their League Two stay.

Doidge made 55 appearances for the Daggers finding the back of the net 11 times before being snapped up by Rovers with the rest now written in history.

FANBASE

The Daggers average home attendance ranked 17th in the National League with just over 1,600 per game last season.