CHIPPENHAM Town chairman Neil Blackmore admits he is still walking with a spring in his step following Chippenham’s promotion to the National League.

Blackmore, who has been at Hardenhuish Park for five years, is still feeling the effects of Mark Collier’s title triumph weeks after being crowned champions on Good Friday.

“It’s been an absolutely fantastic season and I can’t put it into words,” said the Bluebirds chairman.

“I am so pleased for the people behind the scenes, who put in the hard work because they’re all volunteers. They have put in all the work and it has also paid off for them too and I am pleased for those people.

“You don’t realise until you get into the football club, how the football club gets into you, and it does. It gets into your skin and into your blood, you never stop thinking about it because there is always something going on in the back of your mind.

“To win the league and get promotion is amazing. To be honest I am still buzzing now, even though it has been a couple of weeks since we won the league.”

While Blackmore wants to enjoy the achievement, he is looking forward to the new season and says there have already been plans for the club’s first ever National League campaign.

“I’ve had meetings with Mark (Collier) and Tom (Jones) about budgets and we have already signed on the spine of the team,” added the Bluebirds chief “I’m looking forward to visiting new grounds and meeting new people. We have been in the Southern League for so long now I am looking forward to new destination.

“I’m looking forward to the Bath derby, they’re always well-supported events and that will be a great local derby for us.

“We look forward to the whole thing and getting lots of people down to Chippenham.”