JAMIE Vermiglio insists there is still hope and while there are points to be won, he will do all he can to keep Chorley in the National League.

But the Magpies boss needs help and has called on everyone connected with the club to get behind the team and turn what many believe to be an impossible task into a possible one.

Vermilgio knows the odds are stacked against his team; bottom of the table without a win in their last eight games and written off by most outside of Victory Park.

But his belief is unwavering and insists, with 14 games still to be played, his side can pull off the great escape.

“Don’t get me wrong, this is the toughest test I have ever had in football,” he said.

“I have no experience of running a struggling side but I truly believe we can turn things around.

“We just need everyone connected with the club to share that belief; the players, the fans, everyone at Chorley Football Club.

“It’s hard but it is a challenge and it is a challenge I am up for.”

Without a win in 2020, Vermiglio says the doom and gloom around the club is understandable but he insists a full and rocking Victory Park can play its part.

“We have had some wonderful times at the club and the supporters have been with us every step of the way and they have been like that again this season,” he added. “I totally understand the mood might be a little low at the moment but if they can all get behind us and cheer us on then that will be a massive help for us.”

Chorley make the long trip to Yeovil tomorrow and Vermiglio knows one win could spark a turn in fortunes.

“When you are at the top of the league, if you lose three of four games on the spin then that basically ends your hopes because usually everyone else is winning.

“When you are at the bottom, it is a different story. Our results for the last eight to 10 games have been atrocious but we still have a chance because no-one else is really winning or picking up the points.

“That is why that one win could turn things around and let’s hope it comes at Yeovil.”

Vermiglio says he and his staff are always looking at different ways of mixing things up, whether in training or what they say to players pre and post match.

“We’ve moved from our usual 3G training pitch back to Victory Park to train twice a week just to make it different,” he said.

“We are always looking to freshen things up. You have to be conscious of what you say to the players and that can be hard.

“When you are losing every week, what do you say? It can’t be the same every week so we have to keep on motivating the players and, in fairness, I can’t fault any of them.”

With the smallest budget in the league, Vermiglio says such long trips to Yeovil drain the club’s finances.

And while he doesn’t hold the purse strings, he is all too aware of the financial implications.

“We basically have to scrimp and save,” he said. “Every sandwich and every water bottle has to be accounted for. I would love to be able to throw money round and splash out on wages to get a few new loan signings in but you have to be able to run and sustain a football club.

“The long trips cost a lot of money but the club have been great, we get half decent travel and half decent hotels which do help.”

Regarding loan players, Chorley have had rotten luck with three of the four brought in over the last few weeks – Harry Cadwell, Kielan Adam, Scott Duxbury – all suffering injuries.

But Vermiglio is hopeful Connor Hall, signed from Bolton Wanderers until the end of the season, can make an impact.

“I think you can tell what you are getting from him and that is a hard-working centre forward who is hungry to score goals,” said Vermiglio of the striker who made his debut against Halifax last weekend.

“He is not fully fit at the moment but we threw him in and he did well for us.

“He got himself into some good positions, he was tireless with his work rate. Really great attitude and endeavour and I am made up that we have been able to bring him in.

“I think when you look at it overall, we have been very unfortunate with the players that we have brought in and the injuries that we have got.”

Every team has those so it is not an excuse but I think he has added a little bit of something to us and I am sure he will go and have a successful second part of the season, hopefully get some games under his belt, get some goals and help us a little bit.”

The National League announced only three, instead of four, teams will be relegated this season, meaning Chorley are nine rather than 11 points from safety.

“See,” said Vermiglio. “Our fortunes are changing already!”