DALTON Steele has vowed to bring Chorley straight back up next season if the Magpies are relegated to the UniBond First Division.
Monday night's 1-0 defeat at Emley consigned the Victory Park outfit to a place in the bottom two.
And though only one club may go down if Hucknall Town finish in the top two in the First Division, the Magpies destiny is now out of their hands.
If Accrington Stanley win both of their remaining games, they will leapfrog Chorley, regardless of how Steele's men get on in their last game at Leigh RMI tomorrow.
And that would definitely condemn the Magpies to at least a season in Division One.
"It's out of our hands now. The only thing we can do is win at Leigh but that won't matter if Accrington win both of their games," said Steele.
"If we do go down, then I'll do my best to bring the club back up.
"I certainly feel we'll have the ability to do that but it depends on the club's commitment financially.
"You need finances and resourses to bring in better players to get a team back up.
"And I don't think the club would have given me the job if they weren't prepared to back me."
Steele, obviously, is hoping it won't come down to that and three points tomorrow against Leigh would put the pressure back on Stanley.
Even if Wayne Harrison's men win at Runcorn tomorrow, they'd then have to beat sixth-placed Whitby Town at the Crown Ground in a nailbiting finale to the season. But the Chorley boss is more concerned about what his own team do.
"All I'm doing is focusing on getting the lads in an upbeat frame of mind to play Leigh.
"I'm not really interested in what anyone else is doing.
"The Leigh game can't come soon enough for me.
"We've just got to go into it with a positive attitude because they're a good footballing side and it's going to be very difficult.
"It's a big pitch, they like to get it down and play and I'm sure they'll give it a real go.
"But life's all about challenges and ours is to get the points we need."
When Steele took over 10 games ago from previous boss Bryan Griffiths, the Magpies were already in a precarious position. But the former Winsford chief, who signed seven players within 24 hours of taking up the hot seat, refuses to pass the buck for the present predicament.
"I know people will be saying this isn't my doing but I'm the manager of Chorley Football Club and I feel I've played a part in taking the club down.
"I knew the job was going to be difficult when I took it.
"A lot of positive things have come out of my time at the club so far and I think the board and the supporters are aware of that."
Midfielder Eddie Hussin is unlikely to play a part at Hilton Park tomorrow after suffering a broken nose in the 0-0 draw at Spennymoor United last weekend.
And Gary Thomas is again ruled out through suspension.
Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
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