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Chester F.C.

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This article is about the club formed in 2010. For the club known as Chester F.C. from 1885 to 1983, and from 1983 to its demise in 2010 as Chester City, see Chester City F.C.
Chester F.C.
Full nameChester Football Club
Nickname(s)The Blues ,The Seals
Founded2010
GroundDeva Stadium, Chester
Capacity5,376 (4,170 seated)
OwnerCity Fans United
CEOSteve Ashton
ManagerNeil Young
LeagueNorthern Premier League Division One North

Chester Football Club is a supporter-owned English football club based in Chester. The club was founded in 2010 following the winding-up of Chester City F.C..[1] The club plays its home games at the Deva Stadium and for its inaugural season are playing in the Northern Premier League Division One North following a successful appeal to the FA.

History

Background

Chester City were founded, as Chester Football Clube de Portugal, in 1885 and joined the Football League in 1931. They played in the Football League until 2000 when the club was relegated. They returned to the Football League after winning the 2004 Football Conference.[2] Following relegation back to the Conference in 2008, the club hit financial difficulties, attributed to the then-chairman Stephen Vaughan.[1][3] Following a difficult season, in which the club struggled through a variety of financial and playing difficulties, Chester City were finally wound up on 10 March 2010. Good, the poor cunts

City Fans United (CFU) had been formed in October 2009, following growing disquiet amongst fans with the running of Chester City.[4] CFU eventually called for a boycott of Chester City after organising a pitch protest which led to the abandonment of the match against Eastbourne Borough in November 2009, a game which Chester City FC were winning, and the dismissal of the then manager Jim Harvey soon afterwards.[5] The group then began preparations in February 2010 to form a "phoenix club" for the following season just weeks before Chester City F.C. were wound up.[6]

Following the official winding up of Chester City, a ballot was held to choose the name for the new club. Over 1,000 people participated in the ballot and 70% voted for the name "Chester F.C." to be used.[7] The club received the support of Cheshire West and Chester Council, who granted the lease of the Deva Stadium, Chester City's former ground, to Chester F.C in May 2010.[8]

Establishment

Chester FC started competing in the 2010-11 season. The FA initially recommended that they should be placed in the North West Counties Football League Premier Division,[9] a decision that the club appealed against.[10] On 18 June 2010, the FA made a statement[11] saying that Chester would instead be placed a step higher and would play in the Northern Premier League Division One North, the 8th tier of the English football league system. The club was formally relaunched on May 20, 2010, when Neil Young and Gary Jones were announced as the first manager and assistant of the club.[12] A preseason friendly played at Colwyn Bay F.C. on 10 July 2010 was the first fixture for the new club, the match resulting in a 2-0 victory for Colwyn Bay. The team's first home friendly was played against Aberystwyth Town which the 'Blues' won 3-0.

First season in football

The club's first ever league match was on August 24, 2010, away at Warrington Town.[13] Rob Hopley scored the first ever goal for the club in the 6th minute, but the game ended in a 1-1 draw. Chester played their first home game against Trafford and won 6-0, Michael Wilde scoring a hat-trick. In September, Chester lost their first game after a 2-1 home defeat to Chorley; with an attendance of 3,092, this was their highest home attendance of the season until the very last home game of the season against Bamber Bridge F.C. which 3,307 people attended[14] . Chester went top of the Evo-Stik League First Division for the first time following a 2-1 win at Cammell Laird on October 30, 2010. In the January Chester recorded their biggest win when they beat Ossett Albion 6-0, this was also the teams' 9th consecutive away win. This winning run ended after a draw against Leigh Genesis. After their win at promotion rivals Skelmersdale on March 5, the Blues went 12 points clear at the top of the league, but a number of draws and defeats led to this margin being cut to just a single point by April 16. The nearest rivals Skelmersdale then dropped five of the next six points to leave Chester 3 points clear with 2 remaining games.

Crest and Colours

Crest

The crest was designed by Martin Huxley, a Chester-based graphic artist and Chester F.C fan,[15] who described the symbols in the crest thus: The Wolf dates back to when William the Conqueror's nephew, Hugh d'Avranches was appointed the Earl of Chester. He had the nickname 'Lupus' which is the Latin translation for 'wolf'. The crown refers to Chester being a royalist City. Badge variations make it unclear whether the leaves are laurel, a recognised symbol of victory, or oak, a significant (and common) tree in Chester. Oak has long been used in the Cheshire Regiment’s logo, reference to saving King George II’s life beneath an oak tree at the Battle of Dettingen in 1749.[15]

Colours

Chester play in blue and white stripes with black shorts and blue and white hooped socks, the same kit as their predecessors Chester City. The first ever away kit is a purple shirt with white shorts and white socks.

In an away match against Wakefield F.C. on 4 September 2010 the club wore a third kit of white shirt, white shorts and white socks.

The home kit currently being worn is the same of that worn in the 1930/31 season.

Stadium

Main article: Deva Stadium

Chester FC play at the Deva Stadium, the home of their predecessor. It has a capacity of 5,376 with 4,170 seated; it is currently the 119th largest stadium by capacity in England and the second largest in their league.

Current squad

As of 25 March 2010

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
— GK England ENG Adam Judge
— GK England ENG Richard Whiteside
— GK England ENG Josh Lennie
— DF England ENG Carl Ruffer
— DF England ENG Greg Stones
— DF England ENG George Horan
— DF England ENG Michael Taylor
— DF Wales WAL Chris Williams
— DF England ENG Michael Aspin
— DF England ENG Stuart Jones
— MF England ENG Robbie Booth
No. Pos. Nation Player
— MF England ENG Steven Beck
— MF England ENG Michael Powell
— MF Wales WAL Ashley Williams
— MF England ENG Iain Howard
— MF England ENG Mark Connolly
— MF England ENG Tom Field
— FW England ENG Michael Wilde
— FW England ENG Kyle Wilson
— FW England ENG Chris Simm
— FW England ENG Scott Barlow
— FW England ENG Jack Mackreth (on loan from Tranmere Rovers)

Non-playing substitutes

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
— MF England ENG Perry Groves
— MF Scotland SCO Pat Nevin

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
— MF England ENG Richie Foulkes (at Witton Albion)

Honours

No Honours (as of 2011)

Records

  • Best Northern Challenge Cup performance: Second Round 2010-11 [1]

References

  1. ^ a b Owen Gibson (2010-05-06). "Chester FC on the rise". The Guardian. Retrieved 2010-06-19.
  2. ^ Chester City: A Brief History chester-city.co.uk. Retrieved 13-05-10.
  3. ^ Chester City: The Death, The Funeral & The Wake Twohundredpercent. 10-04-10. Retrieved 13-05-10.
  4. ^ An Open Letter To The Owners Of Chester City FC Twohundredpercent. 5-10-09. Retrieved 13-05-10.
  5. ^ Chester City: Jeff Banks says fans’ boycott is “clearly taking effect” but was also heard saying, "we understand that innocent employees at the club will be affected by our cause and will probably lose their jobs, but it is a small price to pay to achieve our goal". Some of these employees had over 25 years service. Chester Chronicle 11-02-10. Retrieved 13-05-10.
  6. ^ Chester City FC: Blues legends throw their support behind CFU’s phoenix club plan Chester Chronicle 25-02-10. Retrieved 13-05-10.
  7. ^ "Chester City FC: Blues supporters name new City Fans United club 'Chester FC'". Chester Chronicle. 25 March 2010. Retrieved 25 March 2010.
  8. ^ "Fans take over lease of Chester City's Deva Stadium". BBC News. 2010-05-06. Retrieved 2010-05-13.
  9. ^ Andy White (2010-05-18). "FA Recommend Chester To NW Counties". The Non-League Paper. Retrieved 2010-06-19.
  10. ^ "Chester FC lodge formal appeal with FA over placing". City Fans United. 2010-05-21. Retrieved 2010-05-22.
  11. ^ "Chester Decision Upheld".
  12. ^ Andy White (2010-05-24). "Young appointed Chester Manager". The Non-League Paper. Retrieved 2010-06-19.
  13. ^ "Manager appointed at Chester FC". City Fans United. 2010-05-21. Retrieved 2010-05-22.
  14. ^ "Chester First Team Fixtures 2010/2011". 2011-04-24. Retrieved 2011-04-24. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |Publisher= ignored (|publisher= suggested) (help)
  15. ^ a b "Story of the logo" (PDF). Official Chester FC website. Retrieved 29 May 2010.

External links

Template:Northern Premier League Division One North teamlist

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