Chester FC manager Marcus Bignot believes 'mismanagement at the top level' is the reason why National League clubs have run into financial difficulty this season.

Hartlepool United and Dagenham & Redbridge both face a desperate fight to survive while Chester themselves have only staved off the threat of going bust thanks to a fantastic fundraising effort from supporters.

Even Macclesfield Town, who have defied the odds to take over at the top of the table despite having one of the lowest budgets in the league, were unable to pay their players on time last month.

Chester FC and Hartlepool United have hit financial difficulty this season

Chester tomorrow travel to Dagenham, who have to find up to £300,000 in the next four months , and before that match Bignot was asked why he felt a number of clubs are struggling off the pitch.

The former QPR skipper, who took over the Blues in September, said: "I think what you're seeing in this division now, with the new ruling of two extra play-off places, is a lot of clubs chasing that. You're 46 games away from the Football League and it's clearly shown that a lot of clubs trying to achieve that have gone above and beyond.

"It's clearly mismanagement. There's no two ways about it. Players and managers get criticised but ultimately players don't write their contracts. They say what they want but ultimately it's the club (who make the decision). It's mismanagement at the top level.

"It's chasing that Football League dream. You're that near but you can be that far because this is a ruthless league."

Jon McCarthy had his budget increased significantly in the summer despite an atrocious end to last season that saw his side lose their last eight home matches.

But, with Chester currently mired in the relegation zone, the money has proven to be misspent and McCarthy's successor has been forced to move players on to get crippling costs down.

Summer signing John McCombe has had to be moved on

Bignot said: "I would love a situation where everyone's budget is declared at the start of the season. I'd love an open book.

"There has to be common sense when it comes to budgeting. Base it on your crowds. It's just like when you're investing in shartes. You're either a gambler and go high risk or go for that medium term.

"If you look at our situation, we were coming off the back of a terrible period, so to lift crowds up, we've probably overspent on personnel to try and bring the crowds back, but we've fell foul of that in terms of trying to chase that.

"Bottom line, your recruitment is key. You have a reserve budget to begin with, a conservative budget, and you work within that, and don't overspend, because ultimately what's going to happen the season after? Chasing the here and now... that's not how you don't build football clubs or create legacies. You've got to build an infrastucture.

"I was speaking to the ex-chairman who got promoted with Chester into this league and he felt it was a season too early because underneath the infrastructure wasn't in place, but at first team (level) it was galvanised and it was going.

"It's a jackknife situation; one part of the business is doing well but the other part isn't catching up, and for any successful football club it has to be right off the pitch as well as on it."