CHIPPENHAM TOWN: Conor feels he’s in good hands
6:00pm Thursday 20th September 2012 in Latest Sport News By Dan Barnes
CONOR Thompson aims to fall back in love with football at Hardenhuish Park.
The young goalkeeper arrived from Gloucester City last month and is in his first season adjusting to part-time football after leaving his scholarship at Swindon Town a year early at the beginning of the summer.
“I left Swindon a year early on my contract because I just wasn’t enjoying it,’’ said the 17-year-old, whose younger brother Jared, 13, was signed by Premier League giants Chelsea from Swindon in June.
“I was looking for a club over the summer but it got to a point where I was considering not even playing to be honest because I was at a point where I was a bit low in football. It’s nice to be able to turn up on a Tuesday and Thursday and just train and know that there’s a game on Saturday.
“There’s nothing else coming at you and you can just enjoy your football.
“They’ve got some great players here and if we can iron out some mistakes, we look like a team that can kick on and really do something this year.
“I think we’re playing great football at times.
“Rudgey (Nathan Rudge) and Feyer (Richard Fey) have said that there’s no pressure on me, so I just want to enjoy my football again. That’s the main thing for me.”
The 17-year-old, whose father Paul was the Bluebirds keeper in the 2002-2003 season, has featured for Northern Ireland at U17 level and first pulled on a Chippenham shirt in the pre-season friendly at Tiverton Town in July.
He wanted to begin the season with Rudge’s men but the Hardenhuish Park boss had already agreed to bring in Josh Dempsey.
Dempsey’s return to Yate Town means the teenager is now number one and he added: “My dad knew Mingsy (Adie Mings) because he used to play here at Chippenham and Mingsy asked if I’d like to have a look, so I came out and played in the friendly against Tiverton.
“Then Kev (Sawyer) left and I thought I’d stick around for the season but they’d already agreed to bring Josh (Dempsey) in so I had no hard feelings and went to find somewhere else.
“Rudgey forwarded my details to Gloucester and I went in there, kept the shirt, and played five games. I kept a few clean sheets and had a few ‘man of the match’ awards, so it was good.
“But for reasons behind the scenes, they had to give the lad on the bench some games but I didn’t really mind because I just want to play football.
“When Rudgey said that there was an opportunity for me to come back here, I jumped at the chance.’’
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