FORMER Chippenham Town manager Tommy Saunders has called on the club's directors to do "the honourable thing" and reach a quick financial settlement with Darren Perrin.

Perrin has been suspended from his duites as manager, but on Wednesday the board put off a decision on his future to seek legal advice.

Compensation on the remaining 18 months of his contract hasa still to be agreed.

Said Saunders: "Chippenham should now do the honourable thing and pay up his contract. When I was sacked it took only five minutes to reach a financial settlement with the Chippenham board."

Saunders said he is sad to see his former bitter rival Darren Perrin lose his job at Hardenhuish Park.

"I'm sorry, but not surprised in any way, shape or form," said Saunders, who guided the Bluebirds to a FA Vase final and two promotions during his five-year reign in charge.

"I'd heard a whisper about this last week. The only thing that does surprise me is that they have suspended Darren rather than sack him."

Perrin and Saunders were once bitter rivals when Perrin was manager of Melksham and played alongside Chippenham in the Western League.

"Yes, there is a lot of history between Darren and me, but I think we've both grown up a lot since those days and I am sorry to see him go. I don't like to see anyone lose their job.

"But I can't be two-faced about this and say this has come as a surprise to me. It's not just their league form that has ben poor, their results in cup competitions hasn't been good either. With the resources at their disposal, Chippenham should have done better than they have."

Saunders ruled out applying for the manager's job.

"I won't be applying, but Chippenham have my phone number and they know my CV," he said.

  • The expected departure of Perrin will be a huge loss to all of Wiltshire football, says a former member of his coaching staff.

Paul Brickley, who was Perrin's goalkeeping coach at Melksham Town, said: "Darren is a very hard working manager. He works harder than any of the rest of us and football is his life. If he does go, he will be a great loss to many other local clubs. Darren always helps out the smaller clubs whenever he can."