Chippenham Town FC chairman Neil Blackmore is hoping that their FA Cup run will spark new interest in the club.

The Bluebirds made it to the second round of the FA Cup for the first time in their history but bowed out after a heavy 6-1 defeat at Burton Albion.

While the adventure is over, Mr Blackmore says that getting to this stage has helped raise the club’s profile and hopes that it will lead to bigger attendances at the Thornbury Surfacing Stadium.

He said: “The publicity we’ve had has been massive. It’s helped put Chippenham Town FC and the town on the map.

“Don’t get me wrong the prize money is fantastic but my end goal is to get more people through the gate and more bums on seats at the ground, that’s what we need.

“I hope the people that have come today, and to other games, have enjoyed it and they’ll come back on a regular basis”.

Mr Blackmore insists that this will be crucial if Chippenham are to keep growing as a club.

He added: “It’s all about money… we need a thousand plus people coming in regularly.

“The population in Chippenham is over 45,000 now so why shouldn’t we get that number?

“It’s a fantastic place with great football and great entertainment so let’s get those fans in every week”.

On the pitch, Chippenham were comprehensively beaten by a side three divisions above them.

A second half Harry Parsons strike was not enough to prevent a five goal defeat.

Despite the loss, Mr Blackmore was proud of the club’s efforts both on and off the pitch in the FA Cup this season.

He said: “For us it’s about being in the second round for the first time ever, it’s a new chapter in our history.

“It’s been a fantastic journey and a fantastic day for us… I’m immensely proud of Gary and all the backroom staff, all the players, they’ve worked so hard to get us to this stage.

“The fans were superb today, they didn’t stop singing for the whole game so a big thank you to them… I don’t think we’ve taken that many fans away since we went to Wembley in 2000 so I think that shows what kind of a day it was”.

The Bluebirds will now turn their attention back to league matters and a trip to Eastbourne Borough on Saturday, December 3.