Veteran defender Marc Pullan has announced his intention to carry on playing next season – no matter what division Eastbourne Borough are in.

Pullan turned 36 last month and had previously hinted the current campaign may be his last due to the huge demands of playing in non-league’s top flight.

The former Crawley and Worthing defender works a 72-hour week and admits combining that with away trips to the likes of Barrow, Gateshead and Wrexham and still finding time for family life is hard.

However Pullan has missed just four league games all season and despite Borough’s precarious position in the table insists he is enjoying the challenge as much as ever.

Pullan said: “I haven’t spoken to Garry and Nick yet about next season because we are in limbo until we know what division we will be in but if the club want me then I will be happy to carry on.

“I know I will miss it when I have to hang up my boots so I want to keep going as long as I can. I’ve been lucky with injuries during my career so until someone tells me I am not good enough then I will keep going.

“I realise that my time has got to come soon but hopefully not just yet. I can’t keep on playing 40 to 50 games a season, and I think Garry (Wilson, manager) and Nick (Greenwood, assistant manager) realise that too, but even if it meant just being a bit-part player next season and helping out the younger players in the reserves then I would be fine with that.

“My body does tend to ache a bit more after games nowadays but it is the commitment I find hardest. When you are working 72 hours a week and then try to play football against full-time teams it isn’t always easy, especially at my age.”

Pullan arrived at Priory Lane four years ago and recently played his 200th game for the club.

He was arguably Borough’s best player last season as they exceeded all expectations by finishing comfortably in mid-table following promotion.

It has not been such plain sailing this time around with Borough just two points above the drop zone going into tomorrow’s game at AFC Wimbledon.

Pullan added: “It was always going to be difficult to emulate what we achieved last season.

“The club tried to step up a notch, which they had to do, by bringing in a lot of new players but that has changed the chemistry of the team.

“The side last year had a hard core of players who had been together for two to three years so it changed things when some of them were dropped.

“That is nothing against the new players because they are all lovely lads and everyone gets on really well but it takes time for them to find their feet and gel.

“We had a bad run earlier in the season but I think we have picked up recently. We have got some big games coming up against the teams around us in the next few weeks so that will be decisive.

“It is crunch time now, although to be honest it has been pretty much crunch time all season.”

Midfielder Danny Brown is still sidelined by a knee injury which has kept him out since January but Darren Baker is available again following suspension.

Top scorer Liam Enver-Marum is doubtful after limping off near the end of the 0-0 draw with Kidderminster last Saturday with an ankle problem.

Follow all the action from Borough’s game at Wimbledon via our interactive blog at www.theargus.co.uk/sport AFC Wimbledon: Pullen, Hatton, Duncan, Judge, Lorraine, Taylor, Poole, Gregory, Hendry, Kedwell, Elder. Subs from: Brown, Blanchett, Godfrey, Moore, Wellard Eastbourne: Knowles, Austin, Pullan, Elphick, Jenkins, Taylor, Armstrong, Smart, M Crabb, Benjamin, Enver-Marum. Subs from: Baker, Atkin, Weatherstone, N Crabb, Johnson, Rowe.