GARRY Hill has been told he can use the January sales to ensure Weymouth are playing Conference National football next season.

Terras chairman Martyn Harrison last night said Hill can spend whatever is necessary to win promotion.

At the club's annual general meeting and fans' forum, Harrison insisted Weymouth won't repeat the mistakes of two seasons ago when Terras built up a healthy lead at the top of the table only to miss out to eventual champions Crawley Town.

He said: "I wasn't at the club two seasons ago so can't comment on why things went wrong back then.

"But I can categorically assure our fans that I won't allow a similar thing to happen again.

"There is no way I will allow Weymouth to build up a comfortable lead over our nearest rivals only to end up trailing by seven or eight points at the end of the season, as happened between us and Crawley Town in that season.

"I've told Garry Hill every possible resource will be available to him to make sure we gain promotion.

"If that means two, three or four players arriving so be it.

"Whatever needs to be done will be done but although finance can't buy you success, one thing is for sure.

"We won't be dropping 12 points to our main contenders as we did to Crawley two seasons ago."

In an annual meeting lasting just eight minutes, Harrison said supporters had no need to worry over last year's £886,277 loss.

He said that figure had been the cost of restructuring the club 'from top to bottom in a professional manner'.

Harrison said Terras officials were also investigating alternative schemes to the planned Asda development at the Wessex Stadium.

"The Asda scheme remains our number one priority and we hope to move into our new ground sometime in 2008," he said.

"But things are not moving as quickly as we would like on that front so we have A duty to at least look at other ideas and alternative sites.

"We can't sit back and rest all our hopes on the Asda deal."

Harrison said the club would wait for a Government planning inspector's report in January before plotting their next step.

Reaffirming his commitment to the Terras, Harrison added: "Some people have questioned my motives but the only reason I am here is because I enjoy it, nothing else."

With manager Garry Hill not in attendance, chief executive Gary Calder said the club's admission prices would rise next season and car parking fees introduced.

He added the club is also considering reforming their reserve side next term.