Chichester City joint boss Alex Twitchen is confident over his side’s chances of success next season as they sweat on which division of the Sussex League they will be in.
The Lilywhites were demoted to the second tier at the end of the season, although they are still mulling over whether to appeal against the decision.
They finished bottom of division one but may well have been reprieved in a shake-up of the divisions, but were sent down because they had failed to fulfil two of their fixtures.
The relegation has bemused the Lillywhites and they are considering an appeal.
Twitchen said: “It was a bit of a farce that they’ve treated us in this way given that other clubs had also failed to fulfil fixtures but got away with it.
“It hasn’t been handled in the best way.
“My reading of the regulation is that the decision made is inconsistent and we’ve been relegated for unjust reasons.”
Twitchen and Neil Sherlock took over as joint bosses after Adie Girdler decided to part company with the club in March, taking many of the playing staff with him.
This left the club unable to field a team for a week or so.
Twitchen added: “We had a lot of players leave the football club when Neil and I took over – there was nothing we could do about it.”
Plans are in place to bring in new players to the club, with the management duo having to rely on their own resources to bring new recruits to Oaklands Park ready to carry the club into a new era of success.
Twitchen said: “I think it’s down to Neil and myself to use our contacts to bring in players.
“We have a targeted approach to what we want to do.
“Our main aim is to bring through a youngish side who can develop over time.
“For financial reasons we can’t afford to pay players much.
“We have to make them realise playing for us will be good for their long-term development and we can provide a good base for their futures.”
City are set to appeal against the league’s decision before the annual meeting, which takes place later this month.
But vice-chairman Sean Forry believes the relegation, if it does prove impossible to overturn, won’t dampen the club’s spirits at all.
He said: “I think we’ll have a good season wherever we’re playing – it’s not the end of the world.
“Of course it could have an impact to players looking to join the club but we have players already here who are up for the challenge.”
DAN BRETT
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