“WE’LL need the help of the town” is the stirring message from Weymouth chairman Ian White as the Terras prepare to begin their National League odyssey.

Weymouth start their first campaign in non-League’s top flight for 11 years at Altrincham today (3pm).

While fans are still banned from attending elite sporting events, Weymouth are hoping to raise £160,000 through White’s Wessex Fantasy Football scheme.

An emergency government grant was also promised this week, enabling the 67 National League clubs to play this weekend.

Fans can also stream games with numerous National League clubs offering live pay-per-view coverage of home fixtures.

Speaking to Echosport in August, White urged the Terras’ family – who raised £35,000 to help achieve promotion – to back the club again.

“I think we’ll hold our own,” he said. “It will be hard but we’ll get lots of TV coverage, there will be a lot more national coverage for us.

“What we need is the town to get behind us.

“If we’re going to live within our means, do this the right way, we don’t want to do what happened before (financial strife).

“I’m very determined as chairman that we keep this right – we’ll need the help of the town and everyone to join in the Terras’ family.

“The Wessex Fantasy, in its six years of running, it’s raised £130k but I really need it to raise some serious money now – we really need help.

“We’re where we are for lots of reasons, the players, Mark (Molesley), Tom Prodomo.

“We’re in the National League because my board and the brilliant volunteers have worked so hard to get us there in really good shape.

“The real reason we’re there, without a shadow of doubt, is every one of those Terras’ fans, wherever they are.

“Let’s not beat about the bush, if we couldn’t have raised that £35k through these wonderful fans, we wouldn’t be in the National League.”