Chairman Len Smith admits Eastbourne Borough are no closer to the goal of turning full-time as he looks forward to the prospect of another fixtureless weekend.

Borough’s game against Gateshead tomorrow was called off yesterday due to freezing conditions at Priory Lane.

The call-off denied Borough their first home fixture for three weeks and adds to the financial squeeze on a club which has felt the impact of falling gates and an early exit from the FA Cup this season.

Smith has stated the club’s intention of turning professional in the next few years but, with average crowds hovering just above 1,300, he says that is a distant dream.

Borough’s average attendance is the 14th highest in Blue Square Bet premier but if you take away bumper gates against AFC Wimbledon and Luton Town then it falls below the club’s break even figure of 1,200.

Smith said: “I have been disappointed with the crowds we have attracted this season. We have been playing some exciting football so I don’t quite know what we can do to get people to come and watch.

“Maybe people have got used to us being at this level and the novelty has worn off. The level of support we get at away games this year has been embarrassing at times which perhaps shows people are losing interest.

“It is a worry as it is preventing us from progressing as quickly as we would like. If people came out and supported us we could move forward a lot quicker but there is no chance of us going full-time anytime soon with the current gates.”

Borough were desperate to play tomorrow having seen their last two games at Southport and Hayes and Yeading fall victim to the weather.

Smith criticised the decision to call off the game at Haig Avenue last Saturday less than two hours before kick-off and has welcomed the Conference’s decision to allow games to be postponed the day before a game to avoid unnecessary long journeys.

However, he believes there needs to be a complete change to the process for postponing games with clubs rather than referees making the final decision on whether a game goes ahead.

Smith added: “If there is an element of doubt then a game should be called off in advance so away teams avoid having to travel. It cost us thousands of pounds last week going to Southport and staying overnight and it was always doubtful whether the game would go ahead.

“Saying that I dispute the pitch was unplayable. Referees are over-cautious these days and are scared to let games go ahead unless they are blamed if somebody gets injured.

“It is ludicrous some of the postponements we have had to put up with over the last few years and I would like to see the final decision taken out of the hands of the referee. If both clubs are happy to play the game it should go ahead which is what the situation was last Saturday. Clubs won’t take risks if it is dangerous for their players.”

Borough hope the postponement gives Ross Treleaven, Gary Elphick and Andy Atkin more time to recover from injuries.

They also hope the weather eases over the next few days after the trip to Hayes and Yeading was rescheduled for Tuesday (7.45pm).

The Gateshead game has been put back to Tuesday, February 1.