Canvey Island may be forced to withdraw from the Conference at the end of the season after manager and main backer Jeff King confirmed that he and his family will walk away from the club in the summer.
King, who has been in charge at Canvey for 14 years, blasted the fans - or rather lack of them - after pulling just 358 supporters for Tuesday's defeat to Woking, telling them that their lack of numbers would "force something to happen here, and they won't like it."
The club had pulled in 758 supporters for a match with York three weeks ago, but their two home attendances since then combined barely broke the York figure.
King has been a revelation for the club who were in the Essex Senior League, a similar level to Pegasus Juniors' Hellenic League, when he arrived. A string of promotions through five levels brought them to the Conference last season but gates have failed to cover the bills and King, through his family businesses, has repeatedly bankrolled the club's success.
Rumours have been circulating linking the club to a merger with Chelmsford City, but these have been dismissed by King.