Maldon & Tiptree FC Prospective Owners Detail Future Ambitions

Maldon & Tiptree FC, which reached the FA Vase semi-finals in the 2002-03 season, is set to be acquired by new owners who intend to elevate the club “through the leagues” once their multi-million pound takeover is finalized. The Drewitt-Barlow Organisation (DBO) aims to purchase the club, currently competing in the Isthmian League North division, the eighth tier of English football, along with its 20-acre stadium site, from the Cowling family. Barrie Drewitt-Barlow informed BBC Essex Sport, “Right now, it’s like Fawlty Towers with one man running around doing almost everything.” He added, “It needs to have the right people in place to make it work and bring the supporters back in.” Drewitt-Barlow emphasized the importance of fan engagement, stating, “One of the biggest things in football, especially at this kind of level, you have to rely on the supporters putting bums on seats, spending at the bar, having a good time and wanting to come back, to actually make them work.” He warned, “Otherwise, you are going to be seeing clubs like this close down.” The club also faces the prospect of a Wrexham-style television documentary, although discussions regarding this are in their preliminary stages. Drewitt-Barlow commented on the documentary possibility, saying, “I can’t confirm or deny (anything) at this time. We have spoken in depth to a satellite company. Maybe, we’ll see.” Richard Cowling currently owns the Jammers, while the ground is owned by his brother Robbie’s media group. Robbie Cowling also holds ownership of League Two club Colchester United. Both the club and the ground will be consolidated under the DBO umbrella, with significant facility upgrades planned for the site. Scott Drewitt-Barlow, Barrie’s partner, revealed that owning a club has been a “life dream” for him, and a key motivation for the takeover is to prevent the Park Drive ground from being sold to property developers. He outlined his vision, stating, “My plan is to rebuild the stadium and the clubhouse, bring the community together, make a decent football team and progress well up the leagues.” Prior to advancing negotiations, DBO consulted Spencer Gore, who acquired a 60% majority stake in nearby Chelmsford City during the summer. Barrie Drewitt-Barlow expressed his respect, saying, “You’ve got to respect people like Robbie and like Spencer who have invested not just money but their time in promoting local football. I hope our relationships continue to grow.” Mitchell Cowling, Robbie’s son, is slated to continue in his role as sporting director, overseeing player recruitment for the team. The existing connection between the club and Colchester has facilitated younger players from the U’s joining Maldon & Tiptree, who secured a 1-0 victory against Ipswich Wanderers on Saturday. Barrie Drewitt-Barlow aims to maintain this player pathway. He explained the benefits, stating, “Robbie is a businessman and he wants to see his team doing well. For Colchester, it’s great exposure for those young lads who need to be playing against some men,” adding, “It’s a great seeding area, this kind of league, for those players to then go on and have that stepping stone into professional football.” Furthermore, the organization intends to establish connections with other larger clubs in the area, not solely Colchester United. The proposed takeover has received a positive reception from Maldon & Tiptree supporters. Supporter Lee Witney remarked, “It’s brilliant and nice to have some hope and positivity around the place.” Witney also noted, “The club has got so much potential that hasn’t yet been realised.” He recalled, “During the Covid season [2019-20] playing Newport [in the FA Cup] in front of the BBC cameras gave a glimpse of what could be achieved with the right kind of ideas, structure and money in place.”