The management team at Sittingbourne have volunteered to throw their expenses back in the pot to help keep the squad they have assembled together.

Manager Darren Blackburn and his backroom staff would rather pay their own petrol money than see any of their players leave or miss out.

Blackburn said: “We have had to make some financial adjustments at times, we made a couple of adjustments at Christmas time, this week we have had to make a couple more but it is what it is.

“Not that the staff and myself were getting a great deal, but we were getting enough to cover our petrol and we have thrown that back into the pot.

“None of us are big time, we don’t think we are bigger or better than the club, we are all happy to chip in and help out and do what we can.

“We are fortunate that we can just about afford to do that ourselves. We are chucking our money back in so it doesn’t affect the players too much, because there are youngsters in there and they probably need the money more than we do. I would rather make sure we can keep the group together for as long as we can.

“I haven’t had to trim anything off their money, financial adjustments are difficult but we have to make the best of it. We have to make the best of what we have got and if that is good enough on a Saturday afternoon then so be it. If not then we have to get back on the training pitch and go again the following Saturday.

“We love the game, we love being around the lads and each other. It’s a great club, the fans are brilliant and I feel very privileged to manage the club. I have no issues whatsoever.

“I knew when I took over they were never going to be the strongest financially, but we are trying to improve things on and off the pitch. There are some great people working hard behind the scenes to do that.”

The Brickies have remained competitive all season in Isthmian South East, although the manager admitted Saturday’s performance at Three Bridges wasn’t the best as a late Kane Rowland goal rescued a point in a 1-1 draw.

Blackburn said: “The pleasing thing about Saturday was that as bad as we played at times we dug in and came away with a hard-fought point away from home.”

Bourne, eighth in the standings, host second-placed Ashford this Saturday. Blackburn’s men have seven games left and he is determined to finish on a high.

He said: “The club is in a good position, we are having a solid season and I don’t want it to fall away. I want to keep the lads on their toes, trying to keep them motivated.

“I don’t think the lads this season could have given me any more, I can’t ever fault their effort. They are a great bunch and I want to see where this group can take us come the last game of the season.

“I want to finish as high as we can, I won’t let the lads just drift away and finish and think ‘the job is done, we aren’t getting relegated’.

“We were favourites to finish in the bottom two, I think. We have hopefully proved a few people wrong on a fairly average budget over the course of the season.

“I am really proud of the lads and the club for what we have done this year so far. We just have to keep it going for the last seven games.”