CHIPPENHAM Town will cut their budget for next season irrespective of what league they are playing in.

After weeks of negotiations with manager Steve White, club officials have revealed a sum has now been set regardless of whether they win promotion to the new Conference league.

Secretary Chris Blake was not prepared to say what the amount available to White was going to be, but it is thought to be substantially lower than the £3,000 a week budget of this season.

The decision comes at a time when the club finances received a further blow with the resignation of director Derek Hooper.

Hooper, who only joined the club in October, will still be involved at the club and will be assisting new sales executive Lauren McKell with various commercial activities.

But following hot on the heels of the resignation of chairman Malcolm Lyus, the loss of Hooper's investment will hit the club hard.

Blake said: "It is obviously a blow to lose a director. We have got to work hard, as we have been doing ever since Malcolm left, to bring new investors into the club.

"Derek's resignation just makes it that bit harder for us. It is a challenge that we have to meet head on.

"It is very disappointing but we understand his situation. He has three businesses to run, not just one shop in Chippenham, and I know he was not spending as much time with these as he should have been because of the club."

Chippenham travel to Hinckley tomorrow knowing a win might give them a place in the play-offs for the Conference, but Blake said the board were not prepared to gamble on the club's future.

He said: "A lot of football clubs are in trouble now after throwing money at building a good team. The money has to come from somewhere.

"The sort of money we are talking about is not easy to come by and it has to come from other sources.

"We have sat down and worked out how much money we will get next year, through the estimated gates and money from the commercial side, and that is the sum we have given Steve.

"We are happy with it, I am not so sure Steve White is but he understands the situation.

"It was not what he was expecting when he joined the club but he has two and half years on his contract and he is determined to see it out and prove some people wrong."