Eastbourne Borough manager Steve King has delivered a brutally honest assessment of his side’s current situation, admitting their latest performance was a “shambles” as the club battles to avoid relegation.
Borough head into their crucial clash with Bath City sitting bottom of the table, 12 points adrift of safety with just six games remaining, a position that leaves them staring at the drop unless they can produce a dramatic turnaround.
“We’ve Got to Improve – Simple as That”
King didn’t hold back when reflecting on last weekend’s defeat, which has clearly lingered throughout the week.
“For me, last game was a shambles,” he said. “If we go down because we’re not good enough, I can accept that, but what we showed the other day wasn’t acceptable. It was too easy, just giving up goals left, right and centre.”
Despite praising the squad’s attitude in training, King questioned their ability to transfer that work onto the pitch, an issue he says must be corrected immediately.
“There’s never an issue with how they train,” he added. “It’s about taking that into matchdays, and we haven’t managed to do that.”
Pressure Mounting with Season on the Line
The numbers make for grim reading. Borough’s survival hopes are hanging by a thread, and even King acknowledged the scale of the task ahead.
“We’re 12 points from getting out, we have to be realistic,” he said. “But we’ll fight to the final point.”
Saturday’s fixture against Bath City carries huge significance, with both sides embroiled in the relegation battle. Anything less than a win could all but confirm Borough’s fate.
“It’s a game we have to win, no matter what,” King admitted. “For our own pride as well. We need to restore that because last week was unacceptable.”
Playing for Pride and Momentum
While survival remains mathematically possible, King has already turned part of his focus towards ensuring the club retains some momentum, regardless of what happens.
With Borough currently propping up the table, even climbing off the bottom would represent some form of progress in the closing weeks.
“We don’t want the wooden spoon,” King added. “We’ve got six games — we have to give our best, and what will be will be.”
Message to the Fans
King also issued a rallying call to supporters, acknowledging frustrations but urging them to continue backing the team through a difficult spell.
“It’s tough, fans want to watch winning football,” he said. “But it’s their hometown club. Get behind the team, support them no matter what, and let’s see out the season together.”
