IN the wake of manager Darren Perrin's suspension, Martin Paul has revealed the Chippenham Town players were too relaxed about losing games.

Paul was brought back to the Bluebirds by Perrin in October but left in December having scored one goal in three starts.

It is expected Perrin will be formally sacked at a board meeting on Wednesday and Paul thinks the players lacked passion.

"When I was there and we lost there were not enough inquests or finger pointing, it was a bit too relaxed," he said. "I played in a different era of football where if the young players didn't play well then they would be held up against the wall by the senior pros.

"If they played badly for a second time then they would be knocked out and I think some of the younger ones at Chippenham could have done with that."

Rumours Perrin had lost the dressing room have begun to surface but the striker denies there were any problems in his time.

He said: "I think Darren can be accused of going too far sometimes and if you caught him at a good time he would admit to that.

"Yes there was tension, but not between the players and the management. The tension came from the players because they knew results were not good enough."

The Bluebirds players have been gagged from speaking to the media by the board, something Paul criticised, feeling the fans were losing out.

"It is only Chippenham Town and if the fans don't here about the players not being able to talk then they might think they don't care," he said. "They needed to hear a few players being accountable for losing 5-0 at Banbury and saying they were not good enough."

Adie Mings could be unveiled as the new Chippenham boss until the end of the season and former strike partner Paul feels he would be a good choice.

"He is chummy with the players but he will get results because of the respect he holds," he said. "I don't think there is anyone who was feared so much on the pitch but is liked so much off it. It is a little too early to say whether removing Darren is the right move yet though.

"Once you get six or seven weeks down the line and there is a settled side then you can start making judgements."