Outgoing boss Bob Dugard has urged Eastbourne Eagles fans to be patient as they wait to hear their club’s fate.

Eagles’ future has been plunged into uncertainty by Dugard’s decision to step down at the end of the season.

Dugard spoke to fans over the PA system during Monday’s depressing home defeat to Swindon.

He explained his decision to retire but was unable to offer much reassurance for the future.

Eagles need an injection of cash and manpower to ensure they compete in the Elite League next season.

In the short term, they could also do with a cheering win at home to Peterborough tomorrow (7.30pm) to lift some of the gloom around Arlington.

Dugard, 67, insisted: “I’m working as hard as ever on the basis that something will happen.

“It will be criminal if something doesn’t happen to keep the club going but things of this magnitude take some time.”

Dugard admitted his initial announcement, coincidentally in the same week as Eagles were effectively voted out of a play-off place, may have affected club morale.

But he added: “I did it early so we have time to find somebody by January.

“If I’d left it until the end of the season people would have been asking why I didn’t allow more time.”

Dugard ended his message to the fans by suggesting the club could take a year out next season.

But he told The Argus that does not mean his retirement could be temporary.

He said: “It would be a year to find somebody if we don’t get anywhere by January.

“I’ve definitely made up my mind. I can’t take my commitment past this year. It needs somebody with the Midas touch. In its present form it is unsustainable.”

One of the frustrations that led to Dugard quitting was the clashes with the international calendar which affect his own club’s meetings.

There is a great example of that tomorrow when, as well as the injured David Norris, Eagles will be missing captain Davey Watt and the hugely popular Lukas Dryml due to GP qualifying semi-finals.

Ales Dryml and Kenneth Bjerre, who is always entertaining at Arlington, are also away.

It could have been worse but new No. 1 Lewis Bridger failed to qualify from his quarter-final last Saturday.

In his retirement statement, Dugard argued GP qualifiers should be staged at the same time as actual GP meetings to minimise disruption.

Eagles struggled to find two guests before hiring Wolves pair Adam Skornicki and Nicolai Klindt and would have loved to have given a chance for the side who flopped against Swindon to redeem themselves.

Dugard, usually so protective of his team against criticism from outside, admitted: “Monday was very disappointing.

“Simon (Gustafsson) was poor, Cameron (Woodward) looked a bit at sea.

“But the biggest concern is Davey Watt. A Davey Watt firing on all cylinders would have given us a draw.

“Simon finding his feet earlier would have done the same thing.

“If then Cam had had a decent meeting we could have come out comfortable winners. The bottom line is all three were below par.

“To be fair to Swindon they look a fantastic team. Getting Matej Zagar has been a real coup.”

Dugard might have added Ricky Kling’s name to the list of under-performers against the Robins but Watt is undoubtedly the biggest worry.

He has averaged less then 1.5 points per race in the last three home meetings but there is no prospect of Eagles making a double change as they plan to bring in Grzegorz Walasek for Norris.

Dugard added: “Davey Watt was inspirational at the start of the year but he has suffered a big loss of form, both here and abroad.

“We haven’t thrown the towel in, though.We’re still looking for a late revival.”

Eagles: Bridger, Norris r/r, Skornicki, Woodward, Klindt, Gustafsson, Kling.

Peterborough: Iversen, Ostergaard, Korneliusson, Hansen, Bjerre r/r, Bager, Vissing.