TOTTON & Eling prepare to welcome mighty Sydenhams Premier leaders Petersfield Town to Millers Park tomorrow with chairman/co-manager Andy Tipp defiantly declaring: “We’re not as dead as people think we are.”

Although T&E are still nailed to the foot of the table, with just 11 points to Petersfield’s 70, a light is shining at the end of the tunnel after two wins and a draw from their last three league games.

And while it is not yet known who will take over the ground after it was put out to tender by owners Totton & Eling Town Council, Tipp is himself in the running to secure the long-term lease.

He and groundsman Ian Lucas have tabled a bid as directors of Miller Park Limited, a company set up by former T&E chairman Ed Holmes, who remains a shareholder but not a director.

Tipp said: “There have been a few interested parties in leasing the ground, but the council know Miller Park’s is the only official bid behind Totton & Eling FC and I think it would be difficult to give it to anyone else unless they offered substantial money.

“Even if they did, Totton & Eling would still have to play there because it’s written in the official document, so I can’t think why anyone else would want it.”

Vanarama Conference outfit Eastleigh had been linked with interest in the lease, but Tipp clarified: “They don’t want the responsibility of taking on the whole ground, but we’ve been talking to them about the possibility of them staging academy games here on a midweek afternoon.

“That would fit in well with us and would bring in revenue.”

The other beacon of hope is the success of Totton & Eling Youth FC, which runs independently to the first-team but feeds youngsters through.

“From a first-team perspective we’re been struggling to raise funds, but the youth side of things is very successful – that’s why we split from them.

“They’re going all guns blazing and the more money the youth side can generate, the less the first team have to pay,” Tipp explained.

“There are two very good under-18 sides, one of which was brought across from Pace Youth by Rob Lomax.

“Rob’s son Ryan had an outstanding game for us at left-back at Fawley last week (a 2-0 win). He’s only 16, but he’s as big as anyone in the side.

“He’s one (Southern League neighbours) AFC Totton have missed out on.

“Another is midfielder Keenan New, son of (former AFC Totton assistant boss) Sean, who did well coming on as a sub.

“Rob’s got a few lads who’ve been at pro academies and didn’t quite make it. Some are bound to get picked up, but all the time we keep them we’ll play them.” T&E expect to have a full squad available to face Ian Saunders’ Petersfield who, with ten games to go, are six points clear of chasing Moneyfields.

“It’s going to be tough, but we know their strengths and we’ll defend with our lives and see if we can hit them on the counter-attack,” said Tipp.

As third-placed Winchester City will testify, it’s a master plan that T&E are quite capable of pulling off.