BOSS Steve Cuss insists nothing has changed at Wimborne Town – despite heading into the new campaign without a contract.

Cuss, who has spent four full seasons in the Magpies hot seat, signed a two-year extension in December 2012 and took a seat on the club’s board in August last year.

The Cuthbury outfit announced it would operate with a reduced playing budget in 2014-15 following the departure of former chairman Paul Miller with Cuss confirming there had been no boost to the club’s coffers so far this summer.

Addressing his contract status, Cuss told the Daily Echo: “It is not a big issue. I am the manager and will carry on working in the same way I always have.

“The issue of contracts has not been discussed and I am very relaxed and comfortable with that. I do not need a contract to work at the club.”

On the club’s off-field preparations ahead of their fifth Southern League campaign, Cuss continued: “The budget hasn’t changed from when it was adjusted last season but I have been able to achieve our main aim, which was to hold on to the majority of the squad.

“It is a small squad and like a lot of managers, I will be hoping for a bit of luck with injuries and suspensions but I am more than happy working with what we have.

“I have always appreciated how difficult it is for non-league clubs to run, particularly at our standard of football.

“I fully respect the budget I have to work with and you will never hear any complaints from me. We know our limitations but collectively, we are working as hard as we can to increase what is available to us little by little.

“We’re not going to make any big, bold statements about where we’re going to finish or what we’re going to do. As always, we want to improve and that will be the key again this season.

“I look at that not only in terms of results and points but in terms of players as well. We have a lot of youngsters that we think very highly of and have invested a lot of time in.

“We now have a base of established Southern League players and a conveyor belt of players who will get their opportunity. I want to improve things all round and that is not always based on where you finish in the league.

“Of course, as a manager I know I am judged on results and we will be out to get as many points as we can again.

“But the nice thing about working for Wimborne is that it is always seen as a long-term project. If you can go out and spend some money on the top end, that is one way of doing it but when you can’t, you have to look at developing things behind the scenes.”