Hastings United boss asks: What does future hold for club?

The Us have had a very good season – going close to claiming an Isthmian premier play-off place a year after promotion from the south east division and getting so near to a Senior Cup final appearance.

But it has ended with them falling short – and now Elphick is asking the club’s bosses what the plans are for next season.

United have been hit by setbacks in their attempts to develop a new stadium at Tilekiln – with the need to spend money on The Pilot Field increasing all the time they have nowhere else to move to.

Elphick wants clarity on where that leaves him and his squad but says he is open to working with the same playing budget or even a reduced one – as long as the club’s expectations remain realistic.

The manager told us: “I’ve said to those at the top I just need clarity. I need to know what direction the club is going in and what it means to us on the playing side.

"If I know what the budget will be for next season I can start to plan what I need to do with the squad. Until I get that clarity I can’t.”

Now the season is over, loan duo Joe Gbode and David Smith return to their parent clubs – while there are one or two senior players who are probably coming to the end of their regular starting days.

And while Elphick awaits direction, he is reflecting on an end to the campaign that’s left him with mixed feelings.

United ended their Isthmian campaign with a 2-0 win at Bowers and Pitsea thanks to a Gbode strike and an own goal. They finished eighth but only three points outside the play-off zone.

Elphick said: “I’m happy with what we’ve done over the season but I’m ready for a break. I’m as flat as a pancake, and I think the players are too.

"We gave eveything our best shot and it was a season of fine margins.

" You can look back at games you might have won but didn’t – and in the cup semi-final against Worthing we had a couple of good chances to win it late in the 90 minutes.

"But I can’t fault the players in the semi-final or over the season as a whole. They’ve given it their all.”