IAN Hammond has been voted by his fellow board members and has become Salisbury FC’s new chairman.

Hammond, a club director since March, takes over from Dave Phillips who left in the middle of May and has now been voted off the board.

The 70-year-old new chairman, who was initially brought in to look after the club’s finances, has said that this is still an important area for him and that rumours that the club is going bust are false.

He told JournalSport: “It’s quite an honour really, it came as a little bit of a surprise, but I’m delighted."

“There was a vote on it and I was nominated by one director and seconded by someone else and everyone else said yes.

“I wouldn’t have put myself forward before anyone else, but I was quite comfortable in accepting, given that the other directors wanted me to do it.”

He said he was looking forward to getting to know a bit more about how the club operates, adding that he had already met members of staff.

“I’ve met a number of people involved at the club, the groundsman and the people who make sure everything works properly.”

The Whites have recently secured the Ray Mac stadium for five more seasons.

Mr Hammond said: “The facilities at the Ray Mac are so superior to virtually any of the other clubs at this level, so people really like playing there and we really like being there.

“It’s a beautiful and lovely pitch and visiting teams are quite surprised when they arrive at the Ray Mac because of the facilities.”

He also has high expectations, suggesting that within three or four years the club could move up two divisions.

But he added: “The higher up you go, the more you have to pay players, the more you have to invest in the team and that costs money.

“Steve [Claridge] has got the same budget this year as he did last year."

Mr Hammond said that at the start of last season players had to be brought in due to injuries, which cost money. He said he hoped to avoid the same situation this season.

Former vice-chairman Ian Ridley has returned in the same role.

He told JournalSport: “I'm delighted to have been asked back on to the board, doing my best to support Ian Hammond and oversee the public relations, marketing and sponsorship of the club.

“During the winter, I had to step down due to some personal and professional commitments though remained as a consultant to the club and came to home games.

“Now I have a bit more time to help with the running of the club, hopefully making good use of my previous experience in Non-League football.”