Wilkinson's Gosport exit is result of work commitments

Wilkinson was brought in after his predecessor Mick Catlin also quit the troubled club.

Borough have asked him to reconsider his decision but Wilkinson is adamant he won’t change his mind.

He insists work demands mean he doesn’t have the necessary time needed to help Borough in their fight to avoid relegation from Vanarama National League South.

The situation looks bleak for the Privett Park club who have not won a league game since October last year.

‘I am away a lot with my job and it is far too big a task to tackle part-time,’ said Wilkinson.

‘If I do something I like to give it my full commitment.

‘I am away for most of the next three weeks which makes it difficult.

‘Football is no longer my main breadwinner so work has to come first.

‘There are also a number of off-the-field problems at the club that need sorting out.

‘Avoiding relegation is a huge job and if Borough don’t start winning soon then it will be curtains.’

Borough slipped into the relegation zone a fortnight ago following a crushing 6-0 home defeat by Hemel Hempstead.

That was followed by a 2-1 reverse at Wealdstone, with Aaron Dawson’s goal not enough to earn a point.

It means Gosport go into their clash with bottom club Margate this weekend five points adrift of safety.

Another defeat will just serve to make life even more difficult for the Privett Park outfit.

Although Wilkinson hasn’t been impressed with off-the-field matters, he has nothing but praise for the players.

He feels they are playing in the most difficult of circumstances and can hold their heads high with the performances they are putting in to try to stop the slide out of the division.

It is a difficult situation for them with so many of the first-team squad members having left the club in the past year.

‘The players don’t need a coach they need a magician,’ said Wilkinson.

‘It is particularly difficult for the players who have been there from the start of the season.

‘They have seen up to 14 of their team-mates leave and it isn’t easy to lift them off the floor.

‘We have also faced the problem of trying to gel the side together with a large number of new faces coming in.

‘I had to call in a number of favours to get some of those players.

‘We have worked on setting the players up in a formation that can see them start to pick up results.

‘It is not easy, though, with a couple of the loan players also due to go back to their parent clubs.’

Borough have endured a traumatic time for the second season running, with financial problems the main issue.

There has been talk of a proposed takeover since before Christmas but so far nothing has materialised.