BILLERICAY Town owner Glenn Tamplin insists his ambition remains the same despite his attempts to make the club more sustainable.

Former Premier League stars Paul Konchesky and Jermaine Pennant have been among the high profile arrivals at the AGP Arena since Tamplin gained control of the club in December 2016.

But Tamplin stresses he has become more shrewd with his funds when it comes to bringing in new signings.

Tamplin said: “I’m getting the players for the right money now.

“Whereas before I would buy players for large sums, we are doing deals with teams from the Scottish Premiership for £500-£800 a week, which is the right money.

“Jake Robinson is back at the club for a lot less than he was on when he was here before, so it has been worth going through what we have had to because that now allows us to keep him next season.

“We have done a sensible deal for Jake and players are realising that we can’t afford to keep paying them massive sums of money.

“I can’t afford it and it’s worth going through what we have because now the club is becoming sustainable.

“The club is 60 per cent more sustainable than it was six months ago.

“We will be sustainable by the start of next season, so it’s working.

“Although it looks like we’re making hiccups and mistakes along the way, which we are because I’m a human being, what we have achieved in two years and two months is pretty spectacular.

“For me, it’s about finding the middle ground between ambition and sustainability.”

Billericay are seeking back-to-back promotions by securing National League football next season.

Town completed the treble - after winning the Isthmian Premier League title, Essex Senior Cup and Isthmian League Cup - last term.

And Tamplin wants Billericay to be competing in the top tier of non-league football by the start of the 2020/21 campaign, before breaking into the Football League.

Tamplin, who combines his role as owner with being Harry Wheeler’s assistant manager, added: “We’re going to get in the National League by the end of next season, 100 per cent.

“But, if we don’t get the crowds up, we’re not going to be able to afford to go into the National League.

“I have done everything I said I was going to do and I would say our average crowd is about 1,000 now.

“We’re going to need the average to be about 1,500 in order to be sustainable in the National League because of the amount of travelling, coach journeys and having to stay in hotels.

“Hopefully we would get the average up to 1,500 because of it being a higher level, but we then need it to be about 2,000 or more if we’re to go into League Two.

“If we can’t get up to that figure, then we’ll have to stay in the National League.

“But lets get into the National League first and worry about that further down the line.”