Basildon name new boss to try and end 23-game winless run

Basildon are now pinning their hopes on new boss Dan Spinks, who celebrated victory with former club Romford in last season's FA Vase final

Football can be a very tough game at times - just ask Premier League clubs Ipswich Town, Leicester City and Southampton.

Also struggling at the moment are non-league Basildon United, who have not won for 23 league matches, a run stretching all the way back to October.

It's a situation that has not been helped by having had four managers since the start of the year.

Chris Taylor left to take charge of Redbridge on 9 January, with Billy Cove named as his replacement - but he only lasted until 5 February before stepping down because of health issues.

Michael Walther was put in interim charge, but following Saturday's 2-0 defeat at Tilbury, they have now appointed Dan Spinks, who certainly knows how to win games, having guided Romford to victory in last season's FA Vase final at Wembley.

"The whole atmosphere around the club is very difficult. Fans aren't enjoying it and we've seen a real dip in attendances this season," chairman Lee Connor told BBC Essex.

"We've had to make a drastic change after Saturday's defeat to really try and see if we can put some fire in the bellies of the players by bringing a new manager in with fresh ideas.

"We've got nine games to go, we've got some winnable games within those nine, so I'm really hoping we can try and survive."

Basildon's last victory came on 19 October when they beat Maldon & Tiptree 1-0.

They have managed just four draws since then, and the downturn in form included a run of nine successive defeats between 7 January and 22 February.

When Connor talks of clubs having "heavily invested", one of those is fellow Essex club Maldon & Tiptree, who were recently taken over by Barrie and Scott Drewitt-Barlow in a multi-million pound deal.

"It is very stressful helping run a non-league football club, you can ask any chairman, it has its good points and bad points," said Connor.

"We are going through a rough patch. This season you can see teams that have heavily invested, the likes of Brentwood Town, and you've got Maldon & Tiptree that have just been taken over and you can see an influx of money going in there.

"For Basildon, it's a big town but it's a bit of a struggle when you haven't got the financial backing - to stay in the league for how long we've stayed in it for is amazing."

'The turnover of players has been huge'

Lee Connor has been chairman of Basildon United since 2017

For now, Basildon are putting their faith in Spinks, whose most recent job was with Saffron Walden.

He has taken over with The Bees 20th in Isthmian League North, above only Sporting Bengal United and Ipswich Wanderers, but just four points from safety.

Cooper says the turnover of players at the club has been "huge" but believes more fresh faces are needed if they are to survive in the fourth tier of non-league football.

"Unfortunately, Mike (Walther) wasn't able to bring in the calibre of players we probably needed to start winning of games," he added.

"Our new manager has said he's got some players ready to go, ones he feels are going to fight for the badge and give their all in helping the club survive."

"Dan doesn't want to come in for the nine games. It's a rebuild. We'll see where we are at the end of the season and if unfortunately we did go down, Dan's there to try and get us back up.

"But I'm hoping and praying Dan comes in and we do stay up. We've done it before, and I'm hoping we do it again."

The rescue mission Spinks has accepted starts on Saturday - but there is an irony about his first game in charge.

They will be away to ninth-placed Redbridge, with former Basildon boss Taylor in the home dugout.

Lee Connor was speaking to BBC Essex's Sonia Watson