CIRENCESTER TOWN chairman Steve Abbley is ready to step down after 16 years at the helm.

His side are about to be relegated to the second tier of the Southern League but Abbley feels the way forward may be to drop another level and play in the Hellenic League.

“For 16 years I have tried to interest the town of Cirencester in Southern League football, but I have signally failed,” he admitted candidly.

“Even when we were promoted two seasons ago we were playing in front of home crowds of just 150 and that is not enough to sustain a club at this level.

“In the last five years I have pumped more than £200,000 into the club. That’s not something that I nor anyone else should have to do. The club has to find a level that is sustainable.

“We will have a meeting at the club in the next week or so. I have loved every minute of my time as chairman but perhaps now is the time for someone with fresh ideas.

“Plan A would be to find someone not just with money, but with the time and effort to come in and look after the first team and the reserves – someone that I can work with. I would stay involved on the administrative side.

“But finding such a person may be difficult.

“The alternative is dropping down to the Hellenic League which would mean much reduced costs in terms of travelling, paying the officials and the playing budget. I am not going to walk away from the club – it has become part of my social life.”

Cirencester Town, while not mathematically relegated yet are all but down and have never really recovered from the serious knee injuries that hit four key members of the first team squad – last season’s top scorer Jody Bevan, club captain Richard Mansell, young centre half Matt Sysum and summer signing Ben Reardon.

“I knew the writing was on the wall after the first three games,” said Abbley. “We were beaten 4-1 in the opening game by St Albans and it could have been six.

“Injuries apart, we never adequately replaced the players that left and the ones we brought in were not good enough.

“Again, a lot of it comes down to money. It’s no fun when you have less to spend than everyone else in the league and Brian (Hughes) can’t keep producing rabbits out of the hat.

“It also does not help when the club’s non-football activities are hit. Since 2008, our Friday and Saturday night function bookings at the club have dried up. There has been no money anywhere.”

Elsewhere, there are a number of positives around the club. The Indoor Arena remains a popular money spinner for five-a-side leagues, there are more than 300 kids in the thriving junior section, the Academy side, linked with Cirencester College, has just won a national competition and the recently-formed Development Squad (Reserves) has bedded in well in the Hellenic League Division 1 West.

“The Development team has been one of our success stories this year, while Steve (Lowndes) has done really well with the Academy side, although there is a real ‘disconnect’ with the club at that level,” said Abbley.

“It is not as if kids from the Academy move up into the first team.

“Most are going on to further education and last year six lads went off to universities in the States.” Abbley has yet to hear whether global car manufacturers Ssangyong are to take up their option of a second year of sponsorship at Cirencester Town.

“They have enjoyed their time at the club but the decision does not have to made until the end of April,” he said.

There is also the outside possibility of resurrecting the groundshare deal with Gloucester City.

“Gloucester’s two-year deal with Cheltenham Town FC is about to come to an end and, as far I understand, they will not be getting a grant from their local council,” said Abbley. “Cheltenham are charging them £40,000 a year and we charged them £11,000.”