Exeter City manager Gary Caldwell fears the club's financial issues are detracting from the success his side are having on the field.
The Grecians are examining job cuts and could slice the playing budget by as much as £1.5m next season.
The club has had loans of around £600,000 from owners the Exeter City Supporters’ Trust to cover an overspend from last season.
Chairman Richard Pym resigned on Monday with Exeter saying he “made a vital contribution towards securing the future of the football club”.
Caldwell's side are 13th in League One despite having one of the division's lowest budgets – 11 points off the play-offs and six above the relegation places.
"This is a really challenging time for the football club where everyone that is here is working extremely hard and doing the very best they can with the resources they have to make it a success," Caldwell told BBC Radio Devon.
"I think football on the pitch, it's going well and we should try and focus on that, and let whatever's happening off the pitch sort itself out, which I think it will in time.
"We are on course to be one of the best teams, in terms of points total at this level, in Exeter City's history.
"Yet all the stuff off the pitch feels like it's detracting from that.
"Let's focus on making this a season where everyone looks back and says, 'remember that season when we achieved whatever'.
"I think if we focus our energy on that, let the off-field stuff sort itself out, it could be a brilliant end to the season and we can build into next year and take the club forward again."
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Exeter have been owned by supporters since 2003 when fans took over the club after previous financial mismanagement.
In that time they have gone from a team in what is now the National League to a fourth successive season in League One.
But not having a wealthy benefactor to bankroll the club means Exeter can only spend what they earn, which has caused problems over the past year.
"I'm always there to give my opinion on football, and from my experience what I can help with, but ultimately the Trust Board are the owners of the football club, the club board make big decisions that are above me and I can only help and give opinion on that," added Caldwell.
"We have to trust we get the right people in position to take the club forward because the club is at a bit of a crossroads – where what do we want to be? Where do we want to take this club?
"What we've done for 20 years has been remarkable, it's been an incredible story, we're onto the next part now, what is the next part of the story?
"The people above me need to set that vision and go 'this is where we're going next, everyone jump on the bus and let's go on stage two of this amazing story'."
'I think we always have to be a trading club'
Caldwell says it is vital that they generate as many sources of income as possible, including new investment.
The academy has been incredibly successful in developing players who have gone on to bring in millions of pounds in transfer fees and sell-on payments.
Ollie Watkins, Ethan Ampadu and Jay Stansfield have all earned the Grecians high fees, while the sales of lower-profile players have also had a great impact on the club's finances.
But Caldwell says City cannot be reliant on player sales, as there is no guarantee around the players that the club can develop.
"I think we always have to be a trading club, so I think we always have to use the academy, use our good recruitment and kind of sell players on at different times," he added.
"I always say when we do that, we should be proud of that, that shouldn't be a negative that we just sell our best players.
"That should be celebrated and that is a big part of how we fund this football club, but we're at a point now where we need something else.
"There needs to be something else in terms of finances that can help this football club move forward and that can be a whole number of different things.
"More Trust members, it can be outside investment, it can be loads of different things, and the people above me are constantly discussing, talking, trying to find a way to do that and if I can help in any way then I'm here to do that as well."
