CHIPPENHAM Town manager Gary Horgan says taking time before accepting his new role was vital so as to avoid any potential regrets.

The former caretaker boss – brought in after Mike Cook had resigned – was finally installed as the new Bluebirds boss late last month following a number of conversations with those closest to him.

Horgan won five of his final eight games at the back end of last season – culminating in a National League play-off semi-final defeat to Ebbsfleet United – and was hotly tipped to take on the job full-time.

But the former Chippenham player said while he was regularly asked by chairman Neil Blackmore if he would take over as manager while the season was ongoing, he was adamant no decision would be made until he could think logically.

Horgan said: “Throughout the course of the final six weeks of the season, Neil (Blackmore) had been hoping I would take the role on full-time.

“He offered it to me, but as I’d said before, I didn’t want to make any decisions then after winning a few games and then getting caught up in the emotion of it all. I wanted some time to think about it at the end of the season.

“I had a couple of further chats at the end of the season with Neil, I sat down with my family too, and then I spoke to a couple of people that I trust and respect in football. In the end, Neil managed to twist my arm!”

Horgan will now begin the process of building a team that represents his ideals and playing style before pre-season starts in early July.

The inexperienced boss says he is happy to go with what he has currently got – a squad which Horgan believes can compete for a top-10 spot in the National League South once again.

Asked what his style of management could be described as, Horgan said: “I don’t think I’m any specific type of manager.

“At the moment, the group of players that we’ve got gives us a strong spine. I think we showed that towards the tail end of last year.

“We’ve got a really strong spine, we’re a good unit, and that allows us to hit teams on the counter-attack.

“I think we’ll continue to try and do that, but that’s not to say we won’t try and play football as well – clearly, we do.

“We’ll continue to adapt, mix it up, and do whatever we need to do depending on the position we’re in.”