JAMIE REID admits that failing to trust the judgment of Cirencester Town boss Brian Hughes cost him a championship medal last season.

Town regular Reid, 26, was lured away to Mangotsfield United at the beginning of the 2013/14 campaign and though winning the County Cup when beating a young Bristol City outfit he is frustrated at missing out on the bigger prize – promotion to the Southern Premier.

“Hughesie told me to trust him when he was rebuilding the side, and I chose not to,” said Reid, who has returned to the Corinium Stadium-based club for another season despite more lucrative offers from two other clubs.

“It was the wrong decision as I would have won the championship with the club I love.

“Even when Ciren came in for me again at Christmas time I turned them down. We were flying at Mangotsfield at the time and I had given my word that I would stay the whole season.

“It was the weekend we thrashed Merthyr 4-0 and I decided to stay. Although our season petered out, at least that result did a little bit towards Ciren winning the title.”

Reid admits he was expecting to continue his career at Mangotsfield this season.

“I enjoyed my time there and the lads were spot on,” he said. “Boris (former Gloucester City boss Dave Mayhew) has gone there as No.2 and they are building a side that will definitely compete for the Div One South & West play-offs.

“Then I had my head turned financially by Evesham. Former Ciren players Matt Sysum and Kev Sawyer have moved there and Colly (manager Paul Collicutt) did offer me a good deal.

“But in the background there was always Ciren and Hughesie asked me not to sign anything until he got back from his honeymoon.

“The budget he has got to work with will probably be the lowest in the Southern Premier and the wages do not compare with what I have been offered elsewhere but he pulled on my heartstrings to come back.

“Again he said ‘trust me to build a good side’. It is unrealistic to think we can go for promotion against the likes of Hereford, Weymouth, Cambridge City and Chesham but the plan is to establish Cirencester Town as a Premier side for years to come.

Reid, ‘refreshed’ from his own four-day stag trip to Las Vegas, has his own nuptials (July 19) to focus on. Although he started training with Ciren last week he admits he will be going away for an as-yet-unbooked 10-day honeymoon on the eve of the season.

“I’m a naturally fit lad and I have promised to take my training kit away with me,” he insisted.

Cirencester will undoubtedly benefit in the coming campaign from Reid’s considerable strengths – his box-to-box energy, ball playing skills, goalscoring record and his combative and tough tackling that has in the past caused him some disciplinary issues.

But he was keen to point out that last season he was sent off just once – ‘ a record low’ was how he described it.