CHIPPENHAM Town chief Nathan Rudge says he won’t rush to fill the gap left by his friend Richard Fey.

Fey left his position as Rudge’s assistant at Hardenhuish Park to become manager of Evo-Stik League Division One South and West Bridgwater Town last week.

Rudge has confirmed that he is on the lookout for a new number two and says that Fey’s decision to part company with the Bluebirds has no bearing on his own future with Chippenham.

“I think that it was the right decision for Rich to get away from Bitton and come to Chippenham but, when you’ve been a manager, it’s sometimes hard to go being an assistant,” said Rudge.

“He did a good job this season and was really popular around the place but when an opportunity like the Bridgwater job came along, he had to take it.

“To be honest, I don’t think that he might have had the chance if he hadn’t done a year at Chippenham, so I wish him well.

“He’s still my best friend and we’ll carry on talking all the time. Bridgwater are in a different league so I don’t really think that we’ll end up competing for the same players.

“I love it at Chippenham so I won’t be going anywhere but I won’t be rushing in to bringing someone new in.

“I’ve got a few ideas but it’s got to be the right person.”

Former Bitton boss Fey, who had spells with the likes of Clevedon Town, Mangots-field United and Frome Town as a player, says that he owes a debt of thanks to the Bluebirds for the invaluable experience of Southern League management.

“I was always honest with Nath and he knew that it was hard for me not being a number one. When I applied for the job at Bridgwater, I made sure that he knew all about it,” said Fey.

“I’ve learned so much from people like Nath and Adie Mings at Chippenham and everyone at the club, from John Applegate and Neil Blackmore to the tea lady, have been brilliant.

“At Chippenham, it felt like we had some managers’ whole careers in just one season and it’s been a great experience.

“I’m looking forward to Bridgwater and I hope that Chippenham go on to be successful in the future.”

Meanwhile, Bluebirds’ boss Rudge revealed that he has still received no update from the FA on the progress of his alleged racism charge.

Rudge faces an FA misconduct charge over allegations that he racially abused Bishops Cleeve striker Carl Brown in an FA Cup clash last September.

He said: “I’m still waiting to hear anything on that at the moment. The season’s finished now and I think it might end up taking a year for anything to be sorted out, which tells its own story really.”

  • FORMER Chippenham Town keeper Conor Thompson signed a contract extension at Torquay United last week.

The 18-year-old Northern Ireland u19 international was snapped up by the League Two Gulls last October.

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