Joint-manager Danny Chapman believes there is a deep-rooted problem at Faversham Town.

The Lilywhites start 2019 two points off the bottom of Bostik South East after back-to-back defeats over Christmas.

Chapman and co-manager Phil Miles are facing a battle to keep Town at Step 4 with half of the season remaining.

He said: “It’s been the same pattern for the last two years.

“It’s the nucleus of players that got in the play-offs with Ray Turner and Clive Walker a few years ago so they can do it but there’s obviously a problem there.

“It is a mystery but you can’t affect how players think. You can shout and scream on the sideline but you can’t make players run about. That’s got to come from within.

“You can have all the ability in the world but you’ve got to have the other side of the game and it’s been lacking for a long time.

“The problem we’ve got at this club is that a lot of players are on contract and it’s very hard to shift them. Listen, I don’t blame anyone for signing a contract but they’re going to get paid no matter what.

“The squad’s very thin and players that are not doing it are still going to play. This is the problem we’ve got. You need that competition for places.

“We’re assessing the squad, we know what we want and what we don’t want. We are actively trying to find players but when you’re a struggling side, who wants to come?”

Faversham, beaten 4-0 at home by Ashford on Boxing Day, lost 1-0 at Ramsgate on Saturday.

Chapman said: “There’s a few that want to have a go but against Ashford, there were only four or five players at it. You can’t have six or seven missing, it’s too many.

“We should have been at least 2-0 up at half-time against Ramsgate but they had a bit of pressure and we conceded a bad goal – typical us. If we’d done our jobs properly, that would have been a 0-0 game. We deserved something out of that game.

“Training’s been good and their attitude’s good. As long as they’re having a right go and the intensity’s there and the Faversham flag’s flying, you can’t have any complaints – whether it’s good enough or not.”

Matt Bourne (ankle) should be fit to face Horsham at Salters Lane on Saturday while Jamie Maxted is also available.

However, long serving player Renford Tenyue has left to re-join Southern Counties East League side Canterbury where he will team-up with another former Town man, Dean Grant.