DORCHESTER Town boss Steve Thompson praised Chris Weale’s calming influence in the dressing room, after the goalkeeper announced a move to Exeter City as a coach.

The move, announced on Thursday, sees the stopper become a goalkeeping coach for the Grecians who are currently in Sky Bet League Two.

Thompson said: “He is a very calming influence which is what you want from your goalkeeper but also very professional.

“I think players can learn a lot of him from his professionalism and they can see the dedication he has to training, he hardly missed a training session if any in all the time I have been there.

“Players see that professionalism and it rubs off on people, we are sad to see him leave but we are also happy for him that he has got a job at a professional football club as a goalkeeping coach.

“Chris knew this was on the cards, that is why he has not signed a contract over the 14 months, knowing that he could possibly get a job at a league club as a goalkeeping coach.”

Thompson admitted that it creates a problem for Dorchester, with the Magpies now in the market for a goalkeeper.

Thompson said: “I wish him all the best in that, it is obviously a good move for Chris but it also creates a problem for us at Dorchester to replace him because he was such a good player for us.”

Thompson revealed he has spoken to a couple of academy managers and a couple of goalkeepers as the Magpies look to replace their newly departed goalkeeper.

He added: “It is a bit of a game of cat and mouse now, you can either go early or risk it and go late.

Reflected on Weale’s time at the club, Thompson said: “Wealey’s been excellent for the club, he played well and he was also a player the other players could look up to.

“He has got hundreds of league appearances and it is a big loss for us and one that is hard to replace but that is my job now to try and replace him.