Cod Almighty | Article

by Mike Worden

6 August 2007

In a nutshell
Struggling against adversity. There is a hardcore of around 2,000 fans who are prepared to wander down through the dull industrial estate to the Deva each game, but the city itself is pretty apathetic towards the existence of the club, with considerable numbers of Cestrians travelling to Liverpool and Manchester to watch live football.

Chester fans would argue that recent seasons have seen the arrival in the city of a variety of disreputable chairmen, managers, chairmen/managers and players; and the evidence suggests that such personnel have often exacerbated the club's difficulties before heading quickly back down the M56. When you add in the homeless period in the early 1990s and the constant threats of winding-up orders and messages from the chairman of possible moves away from the city, that League football survives at all in Chester is a bit of a miracle.

Goodwill hunting
Chester have only one enemy, Wrexham FC, and the Welsh club's struggle to stay in the league last season was watched with pleasure from over the border. Derby days can get a bit lively in the city, or at least they did until the Cheshire plod decided to impose themselves on the fixture schedule. Breakfast kick-off times could be the future.

There wasn't much goodwill shown to the chairman's son Stephen Vaughan junior at the start of the season, when Dad made his lad club captain. The regulars on the North Terrace didn't like the appointment and made it clear – especially when Vaughan was named as sponsor's man of the match in the early season game against Swindon. Booing the lad to get at the dad seemed a bit unfair: a view shared by young Stephen, who had a Scott McGarvey moment and at the end of that game went looking to sort out his most vociferous barracker. There could only be one ending and young Stevie left town soon after. 

Our own feelings towards Chester have been influenced by some fairly, shall we say, robust play by the men in blue and white in recent seasons. TheOctober 2004 game at the Deva was a typical example and the home game in February 2006 wasn't much better.

Last season
You could have put money on the return of Mark Wright to the Deva being doomed to failure, and so it proved as Chester finished another poor season with a dismal run of one win in 10 games. Only relegated Torquay scored fewer goals than the Blues over the season, and when the postman walked up Mark Wright's drive with one week of the season to go, he must have guessed that the brown envelope in his hand would not be the offer of a new contract. Twelve goals in 24 games in 2007 tells its own story.

Highlights of the season were hard to find but the home and then away replay performances against Ipswich in the FA Cup were as good as anything the Blues could muster during the season. Narrowly defeated in the reply at Portman Road, the team showed a spirit and a determination that were missing from the league performances.

A bit of fortune had brought Chester into the fourth round, since on the pitch they had been knocked out in the previous round to Bury, only for some bright spark at the FA to notice that once again the Bury secretary had not been paying attention to the paperwork and an ineligible player had been sent onto the Deva pitch for the game.

Off-field activities at Chester are never dull, with last season's little game being Stephen Vaughan threatening to move the club 20 miles to Widnes. I do not know if you have ever been to Widnes, but it is certainly a very mean threat. Even the town's cultural claim to fame is about trying to get out of the place: Paul Simon wrote 'Homeward Bound' at Widnes station.

Ins and outs
With Wright gone, rumours circulated of various sightings of potential candidates at local filling stations. Keith Alexander, Keith Curle (again), Ian Atkins (again) and Paul Ince (just getting his petrol as he only lives down the road) were all talked about on the excellent Devachat messageboard. Vaughan took everyone by surprise by bringing in Bobby Williamson, the former Plymouth, Hibs and Kilmarnock boss, the week after the end of the season. Williamson has made a number of changes to the squad but has been hampered in making further signings as the club has reached its salary cap, reminiscent of the Rickygate affair last season.

Captain and fans' favourite defender Dave Artell has been declared surplusto Williamson's plans and Sean Hessey has been given the same news and put on the transfer list. The manager has brought in former Leeds defender Peter Butler from Franchise FC and former Chester player and one-time Town target Kevin Ellison from Tranmere. Also moving from in from the Wirral is veteran keeper Gavin Ward, who will combine playing with coaching, last season's number one John Danby staying with the club to fight for a place in the starting line-up.

Former Liverpool winger Richie Partridge has moved from Rotherham after taking counsel from his father-in-law. Partridge is married to Michael Owen's sister and spoke to former Chester legend Terry Owen before moving. Completing the new signings is former Blackpool and Macclesfield strikerJohn Murphy, who will play alongside Simon Yeo.

Their expectations
After so many poor seasons of late, pessimism is still the order of the day among the Chester fans I have spoken to, despite the new signings and the clear strengthening of the side from last season. There are rumours of Williamson adopting a long-ball style, which has caused some concern. On paper it is a good squad but life at Chester City is never straightforward.

Spotters' guide
These New Year's Day derby matches are just great aren't they? For those of you prepared for the long drive to Chester on the morning after the night before, you will be comforted to know that the away terrace is now all seating. If you arrive early and want some refreshment, I can recommendTelford's Warehouse, which is the nearest decent pub, but still about a mile away from the ground.