AFC Telford boss Rob Smith committed to club but admits they need investment to compete

Pic: Will Kilpatrick

AFC TELFORD UNITED boss Rob Smith says he will continue to give “a thousand per cent” to the club but concedes they won’t be able to compete in the National League North without financial backing.

The Bucks, who finished 18th last season, have endured another difficult campaign although their Step 2 status has been secured.

The Shropshire outfit, who moved away from fan ownership earlier this season, have struggled to compete financially with some of the big budgets in the competitive National League North.

Attendances at the New Bucks Head have dropped and the club currently have 68 per cent of its shares up for sale.

Smith has confirmed he remains committed to Telford and is hoping fresh investment may be forthcoming to give the club a chance to compete at the right end of the table.

The former Hednesford Town boss told the Shropshire Star: “It has been awful. It has been an awful season for me personally.

“It just seems like it is never-ending problems. It’s just been a really tough season in every way. It doesn’t fit with me at all that we went out, with two games to go – like we did last season – looking to stay up.

“That’s not what I’m about. To get the personnel you want in this league is difficult, and we need the financial backing to do it. Until we do so, we are not going to compete. And I want to compete.

“Hopefully we can find a way forward and see what happens, I’ll be giving it a thousand per cent no matter what. I’ll give it everything I have got.”