HOLLAND FC chairman Mark Sorrell has slashed his club’s playing budget and says he would rather put faith in “young, local and homegrown” talent.

The coastal club have taken the bold decision to stop paying their players expenses - a move that has already led to departures.

However, Sorrell and his committee are adamant it is the right thing to do for the club’s long-term future and believes some of the amounts being splashed out elsewhere are “disgusting”.

“I honestly feel it’s the right thing to do,” he told the Gazette.

“We’re a small, community club and the only way forward is playing young, local and homegrown players, rather than bringing them in from further afield.

“I don’t agree with paying players at this level of football.

“I’d rather have a team of boys who want to play football for themselves and for the club, rather than a team who are only there to pick up money.

“It’s a risk I’m willing to take because our core players, some of the best local players, will stay and they can easily hold their own in this league.

“Having the right type of character is more important to me than points and positions.

“Paying players is ruining the game at this level, in my opinion, and I’m not going to let it ruin my club.

“Some of the amounts are madness and I only want people here for the right reasons, rather than financial ones.

“Hopefully by doing that, it’ll help us get our identity back - something that’s suffered in the last couple of years - and create more spirit.

“Clubs are spending thousands of pounds of supporters’ and sponsors’ money on playing budgets and, to me, it’s disgusting.”

Holland, of the Thurlow Nunn League first division, currently groundshare with neighbours FC Clacton.

However, from next season they will have their own stadium, as part of the building development currently being carried out at Eastcliff. And Sorrell, who says his club would be pleased to hear from new players interested in joining them, believes laying the foundations for the future is more important than paying players for short-term gain.

“We’re about to have an amazing new £650,000 facility and one of the best playing surfaces in Essex,” he said. “I’d rather put my money towards that than on a playing budget.

“Players will leave, without a doubt.

“However, I still know in my heart it’s the right thing to do and it’s something that’s been on my mind since we came up from the Border League.

“Now it’s got to the stage where we can’t go on as we are.

“We’ve got a great youth set-up - great players and great managers.

“They’re the future of the club and I’m done in terms of paying players expenses.

“Other clubs spend tens of thousands a season on their playing budget and they don’t finish in the top three or four, so there’s no guarantee it pays off anyway.”

Holland are due to gain the keys to their new clubhouse at the end of January.

Their new pitch will then be ready for next season.

The mid-table side lost 3-2 at home to Downham Town last weekend - Keelan Sorrell and Steve Eaton scored their goals - and they visit Norwich United on Saturday.

Regardless of where they finish this season, Holland look almost certain to be part of next term’s new step six Thurlow Nunn League Essex/East Anglia division.