CHIPPENHAM Town chairman Neil Blackmore has revealed the club have already begun to plan for next season’s National League campaign.

Mark Collier’s side wrapped up the Evo-Stik League Southern Premier Division in emphatic fashion, finishing 11 points clear of nearest rivals Leamington and breaking the league’s record for the highest points tally with 103 as they defeated St Ives Town 2-0 in their final match of a glorious campaign on Saturday.

That sparked more joyous celebrations at Hardenhuish Park, but Collier and Blackmore have already knuckled down to make preliminary plans for the club’s first season in the National League.

While Blackmore looks to ride the crest of the wave, he admits the club still need to be wary not to do too much too soon from a financial point of view.

“We discussed the playing budget moving forward and we discussed players who we would wish to keep,” said Blackmore, who met with Collier on Tuesday evening.

“For me as the chairman and John Applegate as finance director, we have to look at the whole club. It’s not just the team, we have a whole club to run.

“We have to be protective of the budget and not just assume we are going to get a certain number through the gate.

“If we do that we could spend money we haven’t got and I am mindful of that.”

Blackmore has seen three managers during his tenure at the helm of Hardenhuish Park, having overseen the appointment of Nathan Rudge, Steve Winter and Collier.

Collier’s predecessor Winter was relieved from his first-team duties on his 40th birthday in October 2013 following a 9-0 defeat at home to Stourbridge, with the club floundering fourth-from-bottom in the league standings.

Since Collier’s arrival that November, Blackmore believes the Bluebirds have gone from strength to strength under the guidance of the former Swindon Supermarine boss and assistant Tom Jones.

“We have taken massive steps and it has been a learning curve for all of us, especially me,” added Blackmore.

“Mark is a pleasure to work with because he is easy to work with. We can communicate well and between us we have developed a squad of a standard which has allowed us to achieve.

“In his first year we said to him and his assistant Tom (Jones) let’s just consolidate because we were in a bit of a downwards spiral.

“Then second and third year we just spent it building the squad to the team we have here now.

“Next season is new to us, so the first task is again to consolidate. Having seen a few games I am confident we are going to do well.

“I don’t have any fear at all that we are going to go straight back down or be the kicking boys of the league.”