FORMER Exeter City and Readingmidfielder Danny Bailey has been drafted in to help Chippenham climb the table.

The 37-year-old was at Weymouth last season but had been without a club since August until he received a call from Adie Mings last week.

Now, along with best mate and fellow former Exeter defender Toby Redwood, Bailey is hoping to play his part in a change in fortunes at Hardenhuish Park.

"I spoke to Tommy at the beginning of last season and they had such a good season last year you wonder if there is a need or a demand for you," he said.

"So I had been monitoring how they had been doing and noticed how things weren't going so great this season.

"I know Adie and I spoke to him at an academy game when he was second in command. As soon as he became caretaker manager the phone call came asking if I was around which was great."

Bailey made his senior football debut aged 16 and went on to play non-league football until he got his Football League break at 25.

He played for Exeter and Reading, where he was the first signing under John Madejski's tenure at the Berkshire club, before returning to the non-league and was most recently turning out for Weymouth.

"I hadn't started back this season so this was my first game," he added. "But I have been training and keeping myself fit and I don't smoke or drink.

"There is a good set of lads here. Adie is still playing and is a dominant force up front and he just kind of puts that into the team.

"On Saturday we knew what they would be like and I thought we did very well. It was just a shame about the goals that we conceded. One of them was quite a good goal but the others were very fortunate."

Bailey said his role in the side was to do the midfield leg work and try to complement the skills of Mark Harrington.

"Harry is a very good footballer and my job is to do what I normally do trying to break down their attacks and start ours," he said. "I just try to organise the team in a way that we can go forward and win games."

Bailey is hoping both he and Redwood will remain at the club for the whole season whoever the new manager is. He saidd: "We have been best friends for years and have been at a few clubs at the same time in the last couple of years and things have gone really well for us.

"Adie knows Toby as well and we were both available to sign on. I want the club to do well and with a few wins we will be up the league."