Billy Smith insists he had no choice but to walk away from Imperial Fields after the Tooting & Mitcham boss stunned fans by quitting at the weekend.

Both Smith and assistant George Wakeling left their posts after being informed the playing budget was to be cut by 40 per cent for next season.

And a despondent Smith reckons the Terrors could be heading for a meltdown.

He said: “It is a real body blow.

“Everybody knows how much this club means to me and for this to happen is upsetting.

“But I really had no choice.

“The budget is going to be cut back to Combined Counties league levels and I think it will put the club back three or four years.

“If I was to stay it would be like flogging a dead horse as players will have to be bought in from a much lower level and it takes a long time to raise the standard.

“I do not do football for the money, I do it as I love the game but that would just be too much hassle.”

Tooting ended the season with a 3-2 defeat at Boreham Wood on Saturday despite goals from Jason Henry and Paul Vines.

But whether either, or both, of those players will be at Imperial Fields next season remains to be seen.

Smith added: “If you take the two contracted players, Aaron Goode and Mitchell Nelson, out of the equation the remaining budget is just not enough.

“A lot of the players at the club use football as their main income and there is no way they will stay on that money.

“I really do not know how many will stay but I cannot see that many doing it.”

Smith faces an uncertain future in football despite his wish to stay in the game.

And he admits he may even be tempted by the expected opening at former club Carshalton Athletic for next season.

Smith added: “I’m not sure what I will be up to yet.

“Tooting did offer me a director of football-type position but that did not interest me.

“I am a football man and I want to be hands on.

“I am disappointed to have left Tooting but I did not want to make a fool of myself.

“Of course I will have a look at Carshalton but I have no idea where I will be.

“I am an easy person to get on with and I like to think I have left every club with my head held high, and I am sure that is the case with Tooting.”