IT'S AN ELL OF A LOT BETTER NOW

Dan departs but Horgan keeps the bulk

- Chris Dunlavy

CHIPPENHAM may have lost star defender Dan Ellison to Bristol Rovers but manager Gary Horgan is just happy to have avoided the annual decimation of his dressing room.

Ellison, 19, right, signed a two-year deal with the League One side on Thursday after scoring four goals in 30 appearances for the Bluebirds last term. He was also capped by England C in May when they took on Nepal at Aldershot Town.

But compared to last year – when Horgan lost 16 players over the summer – his departure is a drop in the ocean.

“This is the third season I’ve been manager here and it’s the first time we’ve managed to not get picked apart,” explains Horgan, whose side finished 13th last term, 12 points adrift of the top seven.

“The first year I took over, we finished in the play-offs. We then had a really good cup run and finished the season on a run of three defeats in 26 games.