IT'S approaching my fourth year back at the club and this is proving to be the most frustrating spell since my return.

We want to improve and move the team on to that next stage but for a number of reasons it's proving difficult to achieve not least because there is not a lot of money to splash out.

The wage bill, even now, is still appreciably less than it was when I took over four years ago - those are the facts. From talking to other managers in the league I would estimate that our budget is probably the 11th or 12th highest in our division.

Talk of titles challenges and such like has to be seen in that context.

The impression generally is that Worcester City as a club has a lot of money - that's certainly what players and other clubs think - but that is simply not the case.

The club is economically run but has a big millstone around its neck - the £700,000 debt. That's the reality of the framework we are working within.

Against Newport I made a few changes, in part to give certain players a rest (David Foy had had a minor operation in midweek and though he wanted to start I took the decision to put him on the bench) but also in the case of Craig Woodley because he'd helped change and win the game at Chippenham and I thought was worth a start.

Unfortunately after half-an-hour we were getting taken apart in the part of midfield where most of the battles are decided and on top of that conceded the type of goals that we haven't for two years.

In many respects I could make a case for it being a better performance than we had against Dorchester where we won 1-0 but the difference was the defending.

Off the pitch there has been a change at the top with Dave Boddy replacing Dr Michael Sorensen as chairman.

I had a good working relationship with Mike. We didn't agree on everything but when things needed discussing we did so and enjoyed a efficient, working relationship for the benefit of the club.

I'm disappointed he is no longer fulfilling that role but having said that in Dave Boddy we have got somebody who is really enthusiastic and wants to get his teeth into the job.

He's a football man and I've worked closely on him with a number of issues for the club.

We have got a good understanding and hopefully that will continue in the chairman-manager relationship. I admire for taking on the role of chairman and wish him all the best in the role.