BILLERICAY Town manager Glenn Tamplin says ‘the club won’t survive’ if dwindling attendances continue.
Just 442 fans were at the AGP Arena as Town claimed a 3-1 win over Corinthian-Casuals and booked their place in the Isthmian League Cup final.
And Tamplin insists that much bigger crowds are needed if Billericay are to reach their potential.
Tamplin said: “The attendances are worrying me.
“The long and the short of it is that if crowds stay the amount it was against Corinthian-Casuals, this club won’t survive.
“The fans and community need to come.
“We need them here, but it was a cold and windy Monday night that we played against Corinthian-Casuals on.
“We’re at home in the quarter-finals of the FA Trophy on Saturday, with the chance to go to Wembley if we make it to the final.
“We need 2,000 fans to be here against Wealdstone.”
Goals from debutant Liam Hughes, Billy Bricknell and Adam Cunnington allowed Billericay to overturn a one-goal deficit against Corinthian-Casuals and progress to the final of the Isthmian League Cup, where they will look to retain their crown after winning the competition last season.
And having already booked their place in the Essex Senior Cup final less than two weeks ago, Tamplin was pleased to see his side move into another showpiece.
The Billericay boss added: “We’re top of the Isthmian Premier League, in two cup finals and the quarter-finals of the FA Trophy, so it couldn’t be going much better.
“Corinthian-Casuals were a great side. None of them get paid and they gave us problems in the first half.
“We scored just before half-time to make it 1-1 and I wasn’t planning on making three subs at the break, but they gave me no choice.
“My boys showed great character and had a great attitude. We were tenacious and had big hearts. It was a tough, physical game because they had some big lads, but we dug in.
“They did me, the community and the club proud and I’m very pleased to be in two cup finals.”
However, the win came at a price as Josh Urquhart was taken off the pitch midway through the second half and left the AGP Arena in the back of an ambulance.
Tamplin confirmed: “I was really worried about Josh because he was carted off in an ambulance.
“He had suffered a really bad concussion and his breathing was erratic.
“It makes you realise things are more important than football.”
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