GOALKEEPER Paul Thompson is looking forward to life in the Dr Martens Premier Division after completing a £2,500 move from Devizes Town to near neighbours Chippenham Town.

The 29-year-old stopper was granted the move after an improved bid from the newly-promoted Bluebirds was reluctantly accepted by Nursteed Road chairman Chris Belcher.

Chippenham had originally bid £2,000 and offered to play a pre-season friendly at Devizes in an attempt to land the influential Thompson. The proposed friendly will now not take place given the size of the new bid.

Thompson, who signed a year-long contract at Devizes just two weeks before Chippenham's bid, made no secret of his wish to move to a club two leagues above the Screwfix Direct Premier Division throughout the transfer wrangle.

He is delighted with the outcome and is relishing the prospect of playing in front of four-figure crowds on a regular basis next term.

Said Thompson: "It is what I wanted. Tommy Saunders and Malcolm seem pleased and I seemed to fit in quite well when I trained with them for the first time on Thursday night.

"It will be superb for me. I'll be getting myself fit and am really looking forward to it. There is a lot of excitement about the club at the moment.

"We've got to play Chelmsford City and Bath City in the first month of the new season and there will be at least 1,000 there for both games."

One regret Thompson does have over his move to Chippenham is how it will affect his relationship with Devizes manager Brian Newlands.

He rates Newlands as the best manager he has played under in a career that includes spells at Mangotsfield, Farnborough and Hungerford.

Said Thompson: "I'm really, really gutted about the way it all happened. I signed a contract with Brian to stay, but you have to have ambitions in this game or else there is no point in playing.

"I hope I can still ring Brian up every week and have a chat like we did before and hope the lads there understand as well. Hopefully I haven't upset too many people. I have come across some managers in my time and Brian is probably the most honest and professional I have played under. He is so passionate about the game.

"Tommy Saunders is a different character then Brian, but he seems alright with me and hopefully we can get on well."

Newlands admitted his club had no choice but to accept Chippenham's offer for the goalkeeper, who bagged four goals from the penalty spot for his side last term.

He said: "He put us in an impossible situation, so it was better that he left. I understand his reasons, but he's gone and now we're looking for a keeper.

"Chippenham went about things in the right way, but I'm not so sure Paul Thompson did. I've lost a bit of respect for the guy over the past two weeks, to be honest. But no one is larger than the club. It is done and dusted and has gone on for far to long. That's football.

"I'm sure Paul Thompson will be successful there and Chippenham have got themselves a new keeper. There are no hard feelings as far as I am concerned."

Thompson's move to Chippenham signals the end of Steve Weaver's six-month stay at Hardenhuish Park. The goalkeeper, who is under contract for another year, is now expected to move back to former club Clevedon Town.

Manager Tommy Saunders said: "I haven't spoken to him all summer, so as far as I'm concerned he has gone. I'm sure he'll find himself another club.

"But we are delighted to have signed Paul Thompson. He has an awesome physique and has worked hard on his fitness. I'm sure he'll do well for us."