DR MARTENS PREMIER LEAGUE: CHIPPENHAM Town chairman Malcolm Lyus has promised supporters he will do his utmost to steer the club clear of the choppy financial waters that forced Wiltshire rivals Salisbury City into closure this week.
The Bluebirds will replace Salisbury in the Dr Martens League Premier Division next term and have increased their annual playing budget in a bid to compete with non-league big guns like Tamworth and Dover Athletic.
Salisbury were relegated after finishing bottom. They have now withdrawn from the Dr Martens Eastern Division, with directors citing a predicted cashflow deficiency of £100,000 as the reason behind the closure.
Lyus an his fellow members of the Bluebirds executive committee have helped bankroll Chippenham to a Wembley appearance and two promotions in the last two years.
But the lessons learned by Salisbury and Trowbridge Town in recent seasons have served as a stark reminder of the dangers of overspending as he chases his dream of a Nationwide Conference place within five years.
Said Lyus: "What has happened at Salisbury is very, very sad, but there but for the grace of God go any of us.
"It is only about three years since the same thing happened at Trowbridge and it is so, so easy to stretch yourself too far. Salisbury were down at the bottom last season and, when you are down there, it is all too easy to put up money you haven't got to get out of it.
"Your heart does rule your head at times, especially when you are as passionate about football as I am.
"We as a club have been lucky at times but also very prudent. There is such a fine line between success and failure. It all depends on the kick of a ball."
Lyus only needs to look at the way Chippenham's weekly wage bill has escalated during his five years at the helm to realise how expensive it is to run a club at Dr Martens League Premier Division level.
He said: "We're paying between £2,500 and £3,000 per week now. When I joined the club it was £400. We have always set Tommy Saunders a strict budget, but have to be flexible at the same time. You've got to chase the dream, otherwise you might as well call it a day.
"The good thing at Chippenham is that we have a lot of business people who can back the club if the figures don't add up.
"If we have a bad season this year and lose every cup game in the first round, then we will lose £25,000. That is the worst case scenario and we have all sat round, discussed it and decided it is worth the chance. It all falls on the shoulders of the executive committee."
Lyus has brought in full-time commercial manager Sue Evans in an attempt to grow the club's income ahead of their Premier Division adventure.
He is looking for a season of consolidation this year while he and the executive committee pave the way for Conference football off the field.
He said: "We'll be looking to develop off the pitch and let that side of it catch up with the football side. We need to think how we can get Conference football to Chippenham.
"If we were to win the league this year, which I don't think we will, we wouldn't be able to go up and that would be terribly disappointing.
"I just want to enjoy it and hope to see us in the top ten this year, that would be great. I'll be doing everything I can to keep us in this league."
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