Lee Carter warns AFC Telford could fold

The Bucks managing director spelled out the stark reality at a packed fans' forum at the Learning Centre last night.

Chairman Ian Dosser revealed to supporters that appointing manager Steve Kittrick, who was sacked just four games into the season, "was a mistake."

And Carter admitted that with hindsight the Yorkshireman should have gone in April.

Gates are down 28 per cent, with average attendances at the New Bucks Head now 1,200 as opposed to around 1,800 in the Conference Premier last season.

Seventeen players are on contract and manager Rob Smith has been told he cannot pay anyone off. The club are due to post small losses for the last financial year.

But the purse strings are now being watched on a weekly basis, with Carter saying: "The way we're going, we will not have a club here in 12 months' time.

"We've seen a number of people leave the club from the board over the last few months and people have stopped coming here in their droves on a Saturday.

"Things have got to change but things will be better if the 250 members of the Supporters Trust give us a mandate to decide what to do.

"We are taking a bit of a flier supporting Rob and Larry (Chambers) to get us out of it. We have to move as quickly as possible."

Chairman Ian Dosser said: "To lose 500 off our average gate puts us in a pretty difficult situation.

"We're paying the bills and the wages, but we're having to manage cash very carefully.

"We do need to do something different because we're managing cash day to day, and with the crowds as they are, it's difficult."