FIVE seasons ago, John Applegate finally succumbed to the weight of pressure from the Chippenham Town board and became chairman at Hardenhuish Park.

Applegate, 75, who had previously been the club’s finance director, ended his spell at the helm at Hardenhuish Park last month and believes he can look back on some fond memories – despite admitting that he never quite wanted to take on the role.

“I was finance director and I worked very closely with Chris Blake, who is the best club secretary that I’ve ever known,” he said.

“We worked together doing the day-to-day running of the club and I was told a couple of times that Doug (Webb, president) wanted me to become chairman.

“I suppose it was a natural progression but I didn’t want the responsibility and the profile. I’ve tried to keep a low profile because it’s not about the chairman but about the team and supporters.

“All I can say is that it’s been a huge honour for me. I’ve been around the country and met lots of people.

“There have been some tough times but there have been fantastic times like when we got to the play-off final up at Nuneaton (in 2010).”

Late last month, Applegate handed the reins over to Neil Blackmore, under whom the outgoing chairman is predicting a bright future at Hardenhuish Park.

Applegate will not be bidding farewell to the board, however, agreeing to stay on to provide his counsel to Blackmore for at least another season.

“Neil’s a very intelligent man and, for me, it’s been five difficult years because of the finances and things like that but it’s been a lot easier the last year with someone else there,” he said.

“We’ve basically done everything together as regards the running of the football club and it’s a lot easier when you can bounce ideas off somebody who thinks pretty much the same as you do.

“He said that it would be on the proviso that I stayed on for another season and as soon as he came to the meetings, you could see that he was going to be a doer, rather than somebody that sat back and let other people take care of things.

“He will be an excellent chairman. I’m a hands on person but he’s got the dream and the contacts, which is proven by the two FC Chippenham teams changing to Chippenham Park.

“It’s our intention that we want more local players and the advent of Park is going to be a bigger attraction to those local players.

“What we’ve got to do is train them properly and, perhaps, one day the bulk of our first-team can be local but that’s not going to happen in five minutes.

“At grassroots level, we need to keep moving on now that we’ve got a pathway all the way from under eights at FC Chippenham.

“In my view, the whole standard of the Southern Leauge is outstanding and we are capable of playing excellent football.

“I think we’ve over-achieved to maintain our status and it’s up to the coaching staff to make sure that we maintain those levels.”

  • CHIPPENHAM Town chief Nathan Rudge announced his first new signing of the summer this week as two players made their exits from Hardenhuish Park.

The Bluebirds have swooped for 24-year-old Yate Town midfielder Harley Purnell but defender Alex Kite has left for Mangotsfield United, with striker Dean Griffiths also joining Rudge’s former assistant boss Richard Fey at Bridgwater Town.

Kite, who first came to Chippenham on loan from Bristol Rovers in 2008, signed  for the Bluebirds at the start of the 2010-2011 season, whilst Griffiths, who moved from Toolstation League Bitton at the start of last season, scored nine goals and ended last season on a high, netting four times in the Town’s final three games of the campaign.

Chippenham have also confirmed that 16 players, including new-boy Purnell, have signed on for the new season so far.

Winger Joe McClennan and defender Greg Tindle have signed contracts at Hardenhuish Park.

Chippenham Town Squad: Ben John, Iain Harvey, Jack Allward, Toby Osman, Shane Blackmore, Greg Tindle, Harley Purnell, Adie Harris, James Guthrie, Joe McClennan, Alan Griffin, Tom Knighton, Lee Phillips, Ben Wickens, Charlie Austin, Nathan Rudge

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