Cash-strapped Beavers facing up to relegation scrap (From Your Local Guardian)

Cash-strapped Beavers facing up to relegation scrap

10:10am Thursday 28th January 2010 in

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Hampton & Richmond Borough assistant boss Dudley Gardner reckons budget slashes to Combined Counties League levels means Blue Square South survival will be the equivalent of promotion.

The Beavers have been decimated by player departures in recent weeks as the money has dried-up in the wake of the big freeze and Hampton’s poor form that now sees them hovering above the relegation zone.

Boss Alan Devonshire was the league’s manager of the month for October, but has not seen his side manage a league win since - resulting in an alarming slide down the table.

Stars such as Francis Quarm, Michael Lee-Charles and Marcello Fernandes, have left the club to be replaced this week by youngsters Chris Robinson and Manny Sackey from Uxbridge and Eton Manor respectively.

Hampton sit just one place and two goals above the drop zone - although they have games in hand over Lewes - and Gardner admits survival is top of the agenda.

“Our budget is now equivalent of a good Combined Counties Premier League side. A team in the bottom half of the Ryman League Premier Division will have bigger budgets,” he said.

“Staying up in those circumstances would be a great achievement - the equivalent of getting promoted.

“The chairman and supporters club has put a lot of money and effort into the club but the economic climate and the cancelled games have taken their toll.

“We’d love to change things, but there is no money there to do it. We’ve just got to keep our heads up and get on with it. Dev is a winner and we’ll be giving our all to do it.”

Hampton started Saturday’s clash brightly but faded in the second half to crash 2-0 to play-off chasing visitors Bromley on Saturday and continue their winless run.

But Gardner is convinced a change in fortune in front of goal will reward the loyalty of some at the club by triggering a resurgence in the form that brought back-to-back play-off final appearances in the previous two seasons.

“The fans have been great. They understand the situation and have been giving us nothing but support,” he added.

“The players still here and even some of those that have left have shown tremendous loyalty to the cause.

“If we could just get an early goal it would settle us down. We are lacking in a bit of confidence, particularly with so many youngsters in the side, and a bit of luck can make the difference.”

Hampton’s next three games: Feb 6 Basingstoke Town (a), 13 Bishop’s Stortford (a), 16 Dover Athletic (h).