LEIGH RMI's manager believes that relegation could be "a blessing in disguise" for the troubled club.

Steve Bleasdale's side are odds-on favourites for the drop after their 6-1 mauling by AFC Telford left them eight points adrift of the safety zone.

A run of just one win in 17 league games highlights their plight in the Blue Square North and although they have not given up the fight, their realistic chances of survival are slim.

RMI is run on a shoestring compared to their rivals and have only narrowly avoided relegation in the past two seasons.

But with the prospect of a move to a new ground next season and the sale of Hilton Park set to wipe out their debts, a fresh start in the Unibond Premier Division would be one Bleasdale would relish.

"I really think it would be better if we go down and try to rebuild from there," admitted the manager.

"We could establish ourselves as one of the top six sides. This club has been in the doldrums for too long and it would be the perfect time for a complete overhaul.

"The current squad have been battling against relegation for the past three seasons and they have developed a losing mentality. When we go behind our heads go down and that was the case on Saturday.

"It has happened so many times. Our defence has let in so many soft goals. We have players battling against injury but I am asking them to play on because we have a lack of strength in depth."

Bleasdale was previously in charge at Leigh at the end of the 2005 season when they were already in a hopeless situation.

He could do little to stop the club being relegated from the Conference, but oversaw an improvement in performances.

He left at the end of that season to become Mark Wright's assistant at Peterborough, and took charge when the manager was sacked.

But Bleasdale's reputation took a battering when owner Barry Fry brought in Ron Atkinson as his mentor in a fly-on-the wall TV documentary called "Big Ron Manager".

Bleasdale resigned after the club failed to make the play-offs. He has since earned his UEFA pro licence and spent last season in charge at Bangor City.

He wanted to return to the English league and jumped at the chance of a return to Leigh, but has since been frustrated at his inability to recruit the players he wanted.

"It has been a real eye-opener," he said.

"Players think they are better than they are and many are not prepared to come to Leigh either because of the money or because they are frightened of joining a club at the bottom of the league. I have worked harder than I have ever done but with such a small budget it is virtually impossible to attract the right quality of players.

"Only the other day I had a fellow manager complaining to me they only had a budget of £8000, which is laughable. I have to manage on much less."

Bleasdale is determined to turn things around.

"I want to make it better at Leigh," he added. "We were at Telford on Saturday, a side with a good ground who are making something of their club. They went down a couple of divisions but have rebuilt and are on the way back.

"I am committed to the club, even though I am not on a contract.

"I am not here for the money, but I want some respectability for myself and the club."