AFTER weeks of rumour, David Malone has confirmed he will be leaving Winchester City at the end of the season.

The wealthy businessman, the driving force behind City's 2004 FA Vase win, has been offered a directorship at Conference South outfit Eastleigh when they become a limited company this summer.

With Winchester just a couple of wins away from the Sydenhams Wessex League title, the fear is that Malone's departure will have severe financial repercussions which could sink their hopes of Ryman/Southern League football next season.

Having had the promotion door slammed in their faces for the last two seasons - once by the ground-graders and once by Lymington & New Milton pipping them to the title - a third disappointment would be too much for City fans to bear.

Malone, however, sees no reason why Winchester shouldn't take the step up if they can build on the structure that is already there.

He said: "I've been at Winchester on and off since 2001 and we've won ten trophies with the possibility of an 11th to come. I hope they will be left in a position where they can go up to the next league.

"It's up to Winchester what they want to do now, but they've got a much stronger committee now and more people behind the scenes. There's a survival budget in place for the next league but if they've got aspirations to go further, they will need more money."

It's the 'aspirations to go further' that provide Malone's motivation for joining Eastleigh.

For years he has been itching to pit his wits against the non-League heavyweights and, with the best will in world, he sees no way that Winchester can match Eastleigh's astounding achievement of three straight promotions from the Wessex through to the Conference South.

Although Malone lives in Winchester, he also owns property on the Isle of Wight and he confessed: "I may not live on the mainland forever and I may even live abroad one day, but for the next five years I want to be involved in football at a higher level.

"At Eastleigh that's a realistic dream, not just pie in the sky. With money and knowledge put together they could become a Conference National club.

"Hand on heart, I can't see that happening at Winchester in the foreseeable future, if at all. There's just not enough income to develop the ground and the team. I feel I've done as much as I reasonably can and I'm proud of that. The Wessex League's got better and better and some of that is down to the influence of Winchester. Eastleigh started it and we've carried it on."

Malone will join Eastleigh as director of football. The post was previously held by Mark Dennis, but the ex-Saint's job title has changed to assistant manager.

Eastleigh travel to Dorchester tomorrow hoping that Dave Town can maintain his hunger for goals.

Ironically Town was released by Havant & Waterlooville earlier this season because he wasn't scoring enough but, since joining the Spitfires, he has ten in 14 games.

"He's done a good job," said manager Paul Doswell. "Everyone on the management team really likes him."

Eastleigh have no fresh injuries to report following the 4-1 midweek win over Weston-super-Mare, which put them ninth in the table, two points ahead of Dorchester.