Pearce: Rocks won't spend what we haven't got

The Rocks general manager said they had to cut their cloth according to income '“ and he admitted it was not looking good for their efforts to stay in Conference South.

Pearce, who is fighting his own battle against cancer as well as trying to keep the club running, had to tell manager Mick Jenkins before Christmas that certain finance was not forthcoming and something had to give in the budget for players and the management team.

"We are not prepared to run the club into any more debt," said Pearce (pictured), who was speaking to the Observer from hospital while he was wired up to a chemotherapy machine.

"At the end of all this, the people of Bognor will get the standard of football they deserve.

"There are four potential sources of income for a football club '“ crowds coming through the gates, social facilities, commercial activities and benefactors.

"We're not well-placed at the moment on any of those four.

"We've punched above our weight for many years. Without major investment, we have done very, very well to stay at the level we have in the non-league pyramid.

"But we are not going to stay there much longer unless someone comes forward and invests significantly, or unless more of the people of Bognor come and watch matches and support us in other ways.

"I wasn't really surprised that Mick and Andy resigned. I explained the financial situation to them and they knew it wasn't going to get any better.

"So we have made Dabba (Darin Killpartrick) caretaker manager and it is up to him whether he wants to be the manager longer-term.

"I don't wish to be relegated to the Ryman premier but if we are, we are.

"And even that league will be difficult for us to compete in on the sort of budget we are on at the moment."

The Rocks would lose an annual 15,000 payment from Conference sponsors Blue Square if they were relegated.

Pearce believes a second straight relegation '“ to Ryman division one south '“ would not be out of the question.

He thanked Jenkins and Awford for their efforts in their six months at the club and issued a new appeal for people willing to put money into the club.