Gary Croydon insists he has no regrets about taking Burgess Hill out of the County League.

News that the Hillians had financial problems sent shock waves around Sussex non-league circles last week.

Just nine months after moving up to the Dr Martens League the club revealed they were considering off-loading a number of top players to make ends meet.

It left people asking how a well-run club like Burgess Hill could be in difficulty.

Hillians supporters were baffled by the decision to sell Des Guile to Worthing and the subsequent release of Julian Curnow for financial reasons.

But manager Gary Croydon, who doubles up as finance director, says the club are merely taking control of finances rather than following the likes of St Leonards into heavy debt and eventually oblivion.

In a frank interview, Croydon:

Stresses the club is not in crisis
l* States they will still be pushing for promotion.

Insists it was right to leave the County League.

Warns other ambitious clubs to be careful before looking to progress.

Croydon said: "We don't have a crisis here but we have week-to-week difficulties. The turnover for Burgess Hill Football Club is about £250,000. The extent of our crisis is we haven't got as much coming in as we are geared to pay out.

"Unless the directors fund the remaining eight weeks of the season or someone comes forward to fund that for us it will give us difficulties. Last week the directors were not prepared to do that but now we have decided to and will continue with some slight alterations.

"It is not a crisis. We are not cash-strapped. It is basically simple economics, a case of looking for the hole before you fall in it."

Burgess Hill appeared to have done all the right things in preparing themselves for Southern League football, building a good, young team and spending heavily on the infrastructure of the ground, including a new £60,000 stand.

Their directors - Croydon, Garry Newton and Eddie Benson - have good business sense and unique marketing ideas. So where has it gone wrong?

The main problem is the cost of running a team at a higher level. Paying players' wages is only one part of the equation. Travelling, for example, has cost the club £10,000 more this season than it did last year in the County League.

With no sugar daddy on board, Burgess Hill rely on other income but crowds have been highly disappointing considering they are pushing for promotion.

Croydon said: "The cost of running a team in the Southern League is much higher than the County League while the income generated through gate receipts, sponsorship and bar revenue is nowhere near in comparison.

"To run a team in the County League could cost £20,000 over a 40-week season. To run a team in the Southern League may cost £100,000 and that is for a middle of the table side.

"We have had a 25 per cent increase in our gates but, quite frankly, it is not enough.

"From a footballing point of view I have absolutely no regrets about leaving the County League. I can't think of an away game when I haven't been excited. At home, though, the expectation sometimes is ludicrous and I don't enjoy home games as much as I do away. That is born out of seven years of success here.

"With my hat on as financial director, there are still no regrets but I would say we need more careful planning if we are going to be successful in going forward."

Burgess Hill have won 24 trophies in the last seven years but can they still be successful?

Croydon said: "I could sell Steve Harper anywhere but he only wants to play for this club. The same applies to Ben Andrews. We do not anticipate anyone else leaving. I did consider it but not now.

"We will be in the firing line for promotion until the last game of the season. We will be going to Stamford on May 1 and there will be something on it. It is not a case of not trying for promotion. We wouldn't cheat on our paying public in that way."

Three Bridges, for example, have applied to join the Southern League and Croydon believes any club should be sensible when trying to move up football's pyramid.

"My advice to other clubs would be to work as hard on their infrastructure off the pitch as they do with the playing side.

"Rather than boom and bust, clubs need to look long and hard at their financial structure. We all want to live the dream but sometimes the dream comes at a cost."