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Chippenham Town director Sandie Webb believes the credit crunch could aid the Bluebirds' next promotion push.

Amid the heartbreak of the play-off semi-final defeat at Halesowen on Thursday night she detected a mood of optimism despite the club's third failure at the last hurdle in four years.

It was upsetting for everyone but I wasn't as disappointed as I thought I would be. We just have to think how far we've come in the last season.

After the game a lot of the players and directors said that next season we will just have to make sure we win the league and avoid the play-offs.'' With the resignation of chairman Derek Hooper and the threat of losing many of the club's young players that goal may seem as far away as ever but Webb said the club is better equipped than ever to win the division.

Adie has a good young team now and we will make sure we keep hold of the key players,'' said Webb.

They have all been offered the same terms or improved terms for next season and if other clubs come in for them we will make sure we put the right price on them.'' This season the likes of King's Lynn, Halesowen and Hemel Hempstead have had budgets as high as four times the money Chippenham have had to play with.

But Webb says the worsening economy will have an effect on clubs. I think it will be a very different league next season and I believe the economic situation will mean there is not the money to throw at it,'' she said.

Webb says the club has learned from mistakes this season, both on and off the field. There have been games where we have given away silly points and if you add those up we would have been challenging King's Lynn for the title.

We have been on a massive learning curve, all of us. Adie has held his hands up when he has made mistakes. He is not the finished article yet but he has done a magnificent job this season and he is only going to get better.'' The club announced this week that Hooper, 61, has resigned as chairman to spend more time with his wife, who is ill. He remains a director.

He had only took over as chairman in December from Webb, promising to bring in new directors and more investment. But neither materialised and the club has suffered a drop in average attendance despite its league position.

10:43am Thursday 8th May 2008

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