St Leonards chairman John Cornelius has admitted he simply does not know what the future holds for his beloved club.

Saints are bottom of the Dr Martens League Eastern Division after just two wins in 12 matches and are staring down the barrel of relegation back to the County League.

But Cornelius explained relegation may prove a blessing in disguise. At present, the teams in the main feeder leagues to the conference - Unibond, Ryman and Dr Martens - have been asked by the National Game Board, which oversees non-league football in this country, to consider radical restructuring plans which they hope to implement at the start of the 2003-04 season.

The FA's favoured proposal, and the most controversial, would see the three feeder leagues reduced to two - Semi National North and South - and could mean teams finishing in the bottom half of the Eastern Division next season will be automatically relegated to the County League.

Cornelius said: "I think football at non-league level is in a great deal of uncertainty. If we stay in the Dr Martens League and finish seventh, eighth or ninth from bottom, we could get relegated.

"It is a ridiculous situation but if went down and won the County League we could get promoted to Semi National South.

"It is a worry for all clubs in the county but I still believe we can turn it around. We have had three or four solid performances of late and you can see the improvement."

Cornelius also sounded a note of caution ahead of Tuesday's East Sussex derby with neighbours Hastings Town.

He added: "Fanzines and websites take the rivalry a bit too far. I think people see more and make more of the situation than there actually is."

George Wakeling will have his Hastings side fired up for Tuesday's derby.

Town's no nonsense boss has been disappointed by the behaviour of opposite number Glyn White at the Firs and Wakeling has accused the rookie manager of slapping him in the face.

With Hastings second in the table and St Leonards struggling at the wrong end, Wakeling offered White his advice if ever he needed it, only to find out White has put in an approach for one of his players.

He said: "Glyn approached us about Graham Webb. It's unexpected as I thought they were going for local players and Graham is from Eastbourne."