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AMBITION: Derek Hooper

New Chippenham Town chairman Derek Hooper has called on the stay-away fans to return to Hardenhuish Park to boost the club's promotion push.

The 60-year-old's first job after replacing Sandie Webb, who resigned last week, will be attracting new investment to help the club's debt, which is believed to be more than £15,000.

He says the fans can be crucial to easing any financial woes for a club who are making a loss at their home games.

"As much as the directors have put in tens of thousands of pounds, our main source of income is always the fans," he said.

"The more people who come through the door the better chance we have. If this town wants promotion they have to come and stand on our terraces.

"They need to get behind the directors and the team and we also need the noise factor.

"We need the buoyancy which comes with an extra 300 or 400 fans in the ground."

Adie Mings' side, who travel to Bashley on Saturday, sit third in the Southern League Premier Division and Hooper is expecting fans to be swarming to the club.

"We cannot understand why the attendances are in the 400s when they should be in the 600s," he said.

"We are playing the best football for a long time and have been at the top of the league from day one.

"Everything is fan based. The driving factor of any club is the number and quality of fans you get through the gate."

Rising attendances could ease the pressure on manager Mings, who could be forced to release some players.

9:58am Thursday 10th January 2008

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