Chippenham midfielder Steve Brown has hit out at the board's decision to part company with Tommy Saunders as the search for a new Chippenham Town manager gathers pace.

Saunders was sacked last week, after a successful five and a half year reign at Hardenhuish, and all the talk now is about who would be the best replacement.

Former Swindon star Paul Bodin and ex Salisbury and Weymouth manager Geoff Butler are among the contenders who have expressed an interest in the job but Brown insists Saunders should still be in charge.

He said: "To say I am disappointed about the decision is an understatement and I am also very shocked.

"His record speaks for itself as we have had unprecedented success over the last five and a half years.

"There was a lack of finances at the club and they were not willing to give him the money for the players Tommy wanted.

"Personally, I still think that Tommy Saunders is the only person who could get us out of the situation we now find ourselves in and he should have been given more time."

Brown has played under Saunders for almost ten years, having been with him at Calne before they moved to Chippenham, and also works with him at the Ministry of Defence.

"Tommy is a very close friend," he said. "I have spoken to him and have told him to remain positive and upbeat.

"I know he will get another top job soon as you can not keep a man like him down for long.

"Tommy's reign at Chippenham has been fantastic. With him in charge we reached Wembley, gained back-to-back promotions and got other trophies as well. It was just continual success and whoever is going to replace him will find it extremely hard."

He continued: "I have no idea who will come in and I want to stay out of it.

"Results haven't been going well in the past few months and unfortunately that is life in football. If things don't go well then you are always going to be under pressure.

"This just shows the business side of football and how everything else goes out of the window."

Brown, 29, has been out of action since breaking his leg in the early stages of a league clash with Worcester City in March and he admits his future at Chippenham is still uncertain.

He had set himself a target of returning to the first team by September but his recuperation has not gone to plan.

He will be returning to hospital in the next couple of weeks for a scan that will show whether he has muscle or ligament damage.

Brown said: "I love the club myself as obviously I have been there for as long as Tommy had.

"But I am not on contract at the moment and so after my scan next week, which the club are paying for, I will have to sit down and discuss what they are willing to offer me. My first priority is to get fit first and then we will see what happens."