Burgess Hill Town manager Chapman issues apology after 'abysmal' four weeks

Burgess Hill Town boss Ian Chapman has issued an apology after three defeats which has seen them drop to the bottom of the Bostik Premier table.
Ian ChapmanIan Chapman
Ian Chapman

The Hillians have been on a winless run of nine league games since their victory over Tooting and Mitcham on November 7.

And the last three defeats against Billericay Town, Worthing and Folkestone have seen Worthing leap above them on goal difference.

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Before the New Year's Day game against Dorking Wanderers (Green Elephants Stadium, 3pm kick off), Chapman issued an apology on the club's website.Here is the statement in full: "Firstly, a massive apology to all supporters and volunteers at the club. The last 4 or so weeks our results have been abysmal! There is no excuses – it’s not been good enough and now we are bottom of the league. We must now come up with the answers to turn our season around.

"With our budget, I didn’t expect to be challenging at the top end of the league, but I also feel we are massively underachieving. The last couple of days have made me personally do some real soul searching, because I don’t want to take our club back down after working so hard to get into the Bostik Premier in the first place. There’s no hiding place and collectively we must stick together, and get out of this horrible situation. The table doesn’t lie, and up to now we have been the worst team in the league.

"I honestly feel we can turn it around, but I do know we need 2 or 3 additions to the team. We are constantly in talks with targets, but if I’m honest it isn’t easy because the sort of players we want are also wanted by other clubs with more money, and what we don’t want to do is go down the road of paying unrealistic money.

"Before the two recent defeats, at Worthing and Folkestone, we probably played as well as we had all season against Billericay without getting a result. The two games that preceded that we should have beaten Margate and Merstham, but drawing both and taking just the 2 points, I feel it affected the players confidence. We have to draw a line through it quickly and move on, because that has gone now.

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"We now have to focus on Monday’s game, and we must be up for it and treat it like a cup final because we desperately need to pick up 3 points.

"Finally, I would like to wish you all a Happy New Year."