Chippenham Town appoint Gary Horgan as manager

Horgan has been officially appointed as the Bluebirds’ manager on a full-time basis, along with his assistant Matt Coupe.

The new boss took over for the last six games of the National South regular season after Mike Cook mutually parted ways with the club in April, winning four of them to qualify Chippenham for the play-offs.

In the play-offs Chippenham beat Dartford at Princes Park on penalties before falling in extra-time to Ebbsfleet United in the semi-final.

Chairman Neil Blackmore said in a statement on the club website: “Gary has played for Chippenham, as has Matt, Gary worked as Assistant Manager with Mark Collier and as a coach with Mike Cook.

“Gary knows the club well, is liked by the fans and has the respect of the players.

“I think what Gary and Matt did in the last six games to get us into the play-off’s was outstanding and I am looking forward to working with them both.”

After a season in which Chippenham defied the pre-season predictions, only a Lee Martin goal denied them from reaching the play-off final after having two play two periods of extra-time in their two play-off ties.

Horgan galvanised the team after the Bluebirds had started to fall down the table and guided them into the play-off places and that work has resulted in him winning the job on a permanent basis.

Blackmore said: “What we did and especially in the last six games, when Gary Horgan and Matt Coupe came in and what they did with the team to get us into the playoffs and the way they pulled the players together after Mike Cook left was phenomenal.

“They got the players together. They made them gel they just tweaked a few things. And we played some outstanding football with a relatively small squad.

“Obviously this will be Gary's first season so I don't want to put too much pressure on him but I think the goal will be the same again to make playoffs and we'll see how we progress through the season.”