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Jupp's so sorry he can't play for Rocks
Nyewood Lane favourite Duncan Jupp has told the Rocks he can't play for them next season – while admitting: I'm really sad to be leaving.
The former Wimbledon, Gillingham and Southend defender has been a popular figure at the club since joining midway through the 2007-08 season.
He has been a rock in defence and was the only player from Michael Birmingham's days as manager who was still there when Darin Killpartrick took over from Mick Jenkins last January.
But he is about to embark on a degree linked to his full-time job at a school and has had to tell the Rocks he can't commit to them any longer.
Jupp, 34, hopes to maintain links with the club by attending occasional training sessions to keep up his fitness – and help out with coaching if required – and by attending a few games as the Rocks enter a new era in the Ryman premier division.
Jupp told the Observer his job as a sport coach at Dorset House School just outside Pulborough had developed into a full-time role and he was due to start a sports science degree at Roehampton in south-west London in September.
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He said: "I would love to keep playing for Bognor, but I won't have enough hours in the week to commit properly to the club.
"With my school job and the degree, which though it is a part-time course is more like full-time, I'm not going to have any spare time.
"It's a great opportunity for me, but the downside is that it's playing for Bognor which has to give."
Boss Darin Killpartrick was keen to keep Jupp in his squad and the player would have been happy to be part of things, even if he hadn't been a regular in the new-look and largely-young first team.
Jupp paid tribute to everyone at the club who had made him so welcome over the past 18 months and said he wouldn't be a stranger, singling out Killpartrick and general manager Jack Pearce for the support they had given him.
"I've loved being involved at such a fantastic club.
"You get different clubs and different environments in football, and this one
suited me and my personality perfectly. I've got a lot out of it and learned a lot, and just hope I have given something back, too."
Jupp was so popular with the Nyewood Lane faithful that a number of them helped pay his wages when the budget was cut last season.
"I have to mention the fans – they've been fantastic with me from the moment I joined," he said.
"They're a good loyal bunch who backed the team even when results weren't good.
"After all they've been through, they really deserve some good times now."
Jupp plans to talk to Killpartrick about having some involvement at
training sessions when his other commitments allow.
He has worked at Dorset House for a year and told how his part-time sports coaching role had evolved into a full-time role which also includes sport facility maintenance.
The prep school for two to 13-year-olds has a strong sport department and Jupp said his work there would dovetail nicely with his degree.
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Weather for Chichester
Tuesday 29 May 2012
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Temperature: 13 C to 21 C
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