By Tony Hudd

Ebbsfleet manager Liam Daish, pictured right, meets with the club's board of directors on Thursday for showdown talks which will determine the team's immediate direction and his own future.

At the heart of the matter will be the playing budget as rumours persist that cash-strapped Fleet are about to revert to part-time status, leaving the club strongly disadvantaged in the Blue Square Premier next season.

Last week, MyFootballClub – which has suffered a huge drop in membership – voted to hand Daish a £5,000 gross weekly budget, which represents a cut of more than 50 per cent on last season.

It means the club will only pay their squad for 43 weeks of the year, rather than 52.

Daish, who confessed to being "frustrated and disillusioned" as the rumour mill went into overdrive, said: "All being well, everything will be sorted. The board will be asking me questions and I shall be asking them plenty.

"I shall be seeking to establish what route the club will be taking. As it stands, the club is probably in a worse position than when I arrived. I expect a good deal will come out in the next few weeks but first and foremost, my thoughts are with the staff who are wanting to know about their futures."

Apart from goalkeeper Lance Cronin, Darius Charles, Michael Gash and Steven Springett, who are all under contract until May next year, the rest of the squad are now free agents.

Midfielder Danny Slatter has already moved to Ryman League Premier Division Billericay, while defender Peter Hawkins has been signed by Maidstone.