Chatham Town chairman Jeff Talbot believes life in Ryman League, Division 1 North is gradually killing the club.

Gates are well below budget this season and Mr Talbot, pictured, feels the club are being hit on two fronts.

Chats play their final home game of the season on Saturday against Needham Market and Mr Talbot said: "My money is that we’ll be in the North again next season.

"I am pretty fed up with it on two levels. There is the issue with us being in the North division and then our fixtures always seem to fit nicely alongside Gillingham home games.

"I am sick to my back teeth of having to go to the leagues and the FA every season. It seems like a slow death in the North and it is a real struggle. We are missing out on derby matches and bigger gates that come with it."

Those games could almost double Chatham’s current average gate that is nudging just past the 110 mark.

Mr Talbot said: "Running a ground for a season costs between £25-30,000 a year. People might say a gate of 120 for 22 matches is fine but when just 80 people are paying and maybe only 20 of those are adults you can see where the problems are."

Chatham, meanwhile, are forging closer links with the Royal Engineers and Glenn Lish, who runs their football club, will be at the game.