Last updated on .From the section Football

Conference Premier clubs look like missing out on up to £20,000 apiece next season as the league is struggling to attract a main sponsor.

Blue Square Bet's deal ended last season external-link and the Football Conference has been unable to secure a new one.

Conference general manager Dennis Strudwick told BBC Lincolnshire: "We are working hard but without success.

"We believe there is somebody who will do it, but I have to be honest we don't have it on the hook just yet."

quote Financially it affects the clubs an awful lot. With Premier Division you clubs could be talking about £20,000 [a season].

Blue Square Bet decided not to renew their contract at the end of their six-year deal but Strudwick remains hopeful about attracting new backers.

"At the moment we do not have a title sponsor," he added. "But we hope the television deal with BT Sport will be a bit of a carrot to a potential sponsor.

"Financially it affects the clubs an awful lot. With Premier Division clubs you could be talking about £20,000 [a season].

"I am guessing on £20,000, because I don't know what size of sponsorship we may or may not be able to attract. But that is a considerable sum of money.

"It's a smaller amount of around £7,500-10,000 [for Conference North and South clubs] but that is still significant.

"The hard nose aspect is that clubs shouldn't be relying on money other people should raise - they have to be living within their means.

"But the Conference board acknowledges its responsibility to use its resources to attract funding and over a period of about 20 years that has been very, very successful."