It was somehow fitting that Paul Vines should score the hat-trick that confirmed Tooting & Mitcham United’s relegation on Saturday.

The fact the Carshalton Athletic striker has played more times for Tooting than the combined appearance record of those wearing Stripes on Saturday, tells you all you need to know about what has gone wrong at Imperial Fields.

The part Vines has played in his old club’s demise was remarkably small – 10 defeats from their past 11 games means relegation has been a formality.

The Terrors axed Mark Beard as manager earlier in the season but, despite overseeing an overhaul of the team, results have actually got much worse under Kenny Brown.

However, the seeds of destruction were sown two years ago when, having finished ninth and 12th in the Ryman Premier League, then manager Billy Smith was told he had to cut the playing budget by 40 per cent.

Highlights of Smith’s four-year reign included winning the London Senior Cup and a Surrey Senior Cup, a memorable 4-2 win over Sutton United soon after winning promotion and claiming a place in the first round of the FA Cup in 2009-10.

At that time, I’m sure their crowds were swelled a little by the fact you were guaranteed a good game of football at Imperial Fields. They didn’t always win, but Tooting played some attractive football and Vines’ presence meant they always carried a goal threat.

When the cuts were made, Smith was expected to oversee the destruction of a team he had lovingly put together.

He and assistant George Wakeling resigned, striker Vines followed suit as did tough tackling brother Joe and most of the first-team core such as Dave King, Dean McDonald, Dean Hamlin and Simon Parker.

I am not privy to the financial necessities that caused the dramatic cuts, but you wonder what could have achieved had that team stayed together.

The only shock after that self-inflicted wound is that relegation didn’t come sooner and Beard deserves great credit for having steered a totally new side to a 14th place finish last season.

Although he sealed their demise, at least Vines brought back memories of happier days for the misty-eyed Tooting followers on Saturday.

They should make the most of them because it is hard to see them recapturing such heights any time soon.