Chester F.C.

Chester Football Club is a supporter-owned association football club from Chester, England. The club was founded in 2010 following the winding-up of Chester City F.C. The club began its inaugural season in the Northern Premier League Division One North following a successful appeal to the FA against their initial placement in the Northwest Counties League. The team plays its home games at the Deva Stadium, which is geographically in Flintshire, Wales.

In the club's first three seasons it was the successive league champions of the NPL Division One North (2010–11), the NPL Premier Division (2011–12), and theConference North (2012–13). Although Chester F.C. finished in the relegation zone in its first season in the Conference Premier (2013–14), the club earned a reprieve after Hereford United was expelled for financial problems.

Contents

 * 1 History
 * 1.1 Background
 * 1.2 Establishment
 * 1.3 Inaugural 2010–11 season
 * 1.4 2011–12 season
 * 1.5 2012–13 season
 * 1.6 2013–14 season
 * 2 Crest and colours
 * 2.1 Crest
 * 2.2 Colours
 * 2.3 Shirt sponsors and manufacturers
 * 3 Stadium
 * 4 Rivals
 * 5 Players
 * 5.1 Current squad
 * 5.2 Out on loan
 * 5.3 Club captains
 * 5.4 International appearances
 * 5.5 Most league appearances and goals
 * 6 Management
 * 6.1 Current management and coaching staff
 * 6.2 Managerial history
 * 7 Performance
 * 7.1 League standings
 * 8 Honours
 * 8.1 League
 * 8.2 Cups
 * 8.3 Other trophies
 * 9 Records
 * 10 References
 * 11 External links

Background[edit]
The original Chester FC was founded in 1885 and joined the Football League before the 1931–32 season. They changed their name to Chester City in 1983. They were members of the Football League, predominantly in its fourth tier but occasionally in its third tier, until 2000 when the club was relegated to the Football Conference. They returned to the Football League after winning the Conference title in 2004.[2]Following relegation back to the Conference in 2009, the club hit financial difficulties.These financial difficulties led to the season starting with a 25-point deduction following the inland revenue over turning a proposed cva Chester City were eventually wound up on 10 March 2010.

City Fans United (CFU) had been formed in October 2009, following growing disquiet amongst fans with the running of Chester City, who at that point were already in deep financial trouble.[3] Only a month after the official formation of CFU, fans staged an on-pitch protest about Chester City's ownership, leading to the abandonment of the game against Eastbourne Borough at a point when Chester were leading 3–2.[4] Following a vote of its membership, CFU in January 2010 called for a boycott of Chester City,[5] after the dismissal of the then manager Jim Harvey, which led to CFU expressing its "disappointment, shock, and anger" at the decision.[6] The group then began preparations in February 2010 to form a phoenix club for the following season just weeks before Chester City FC was wound up.[7]

Following the official winding up of Chester City in March 2010, 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 FC, which had been the old club's name for its first 98 years.[8] The club received the support of Cheshire West and Chester Council, which granted the lease of the Deva Stadium (subsequently renamed the Exacta Stadium as part of a sponsorship arrangement), Chester City's former ground, to Chester FC in May 2010.[9]

Establishment[edit]
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,[10] a decision that the club appealed against.[11] On 18 June 2010, the FA made a statement[12] 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 20 May 2010, when Neil Young and Gary Jones were announced as the first manager and assistant of the club.[13] A pre-season friendly played atColwyn Bay 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.[14]

Inaugural 2010–11 season[edit]
The club's first league match was on 24 August 2010, away at Warrington Town.[15] Rob Hopley scored the first ever goal for the club in the 6th minute, but the game ended in a 1–1 draw.[16] Chester played their first home game against Trafford and won 6–0, Michael Wilde scoring a hat-trick.[17] In September, Chester lost their first game after a 2–1 home defeat to Chorley.[18]

Chester went top of their division for the first time following a 2–1 win at Cammell Laird in October,[19] before equalling their record win when they beat Ossett Albion 6–0 in January 2011, and recording their ninth consecutive away win at Trafford in the same month.[20] After their win at promotion rivals Skelmersdale in March, the Blues went 12 points clear at the top of the league,[21] but a number of draws and defeats led to this margin being cut to just a single point by 16 April.[22]

Second-placed Skelmersdale then dropped points, to leave Chester three points clear with one remaining game, and a goal difference eight ahead of their chasing rivals.[23] In a wild finale to the season, Chester were promoted by only a single point of goal difference, as the Blues went down to a shock 2–1 defeat at Garforth Town, while Skelmersdale thrashed Ossett Albion 7–2, with two goals from Ossett striker Danny Toronczak the difference between promotion and the playoffs for Chester.[24]

Unusually for a club at the eighth level of English football, Chester played in neither the FA Trophy nor the FA Cup in their inaugural season, as FA rules required a minimum of one season of prior football before playing in the Trophy, and two years before playing in the Cup.

2011–12 season[edit]
Following Chester's promotion to the NPL Premier Division, form was initially variable, with two losses in their first six league fixtures. However, form, particularly defensively, improved greatly, with no goals conceded in September, and the 1–0 win against Chasetown was their seventh successive clean sheet in the league. This run ended after a 1–1 draw away at Buxton in the next match, but only after they established a new Chester City/Chester FC record of 781 minutes without conceding across eight games in all competitions.

Chester's form was strong through November and December, with a run of five consecutive victories, resulting in Chester going top of the table after the 1–0 win against Ashton United, a position the club held at the end of the year, finishing 2011 with a stormy 1–1 draw at second placed Northwich Victoria, a game which saw three dismissals.[25] They were not to be caught again in the league during the season. During the calendar year 2011, Chester were unbeaten in home league fixtures. Chester's last loss of the season came in their 2–1 home defeat to Hednesford on 21 January. After that point, the team went on a 16-match unbeaten run, including a period of eight consecutive victories encompassing the entirety of March.

On 9 April 2012, Chester gained their second successive promotion, after a late goal from Matty McGinn in the game against second-placed Northwich gave the club a 1–1 draw and the point they needed to see off the challenge with three games remaining. The game was watched by a crowd of 5,009, which was not only a record for the reformed club, but also the highest gate ever recorded in the seventh tier of English football. At the conclusion of the season, Chester finished with 100 points, 17 clear of second-placed Northwich, having scored 102 goals along the way, and conceded only 29.

In the FA Trophy, Chester went on an extended run, winning through three qualifying rounds to reach the first round proper, where they recorded a 5–1 away victory against North Ferriby United. They bowed out of the competition in the second round in an away tie against Conference Premier side Ebbsfleet United, losing 3–2. As this was only the club's second season, they remained ineligible for the FA Cup.

2012–13 season[edit]
Chester began the 2012–13 season as second favourites with bookmakers for the Conference North title. Their start to the season justified those predictions, as they won their first seven matches, a club record for Chester FC and also surpassing Chester City's best start to the season. Included in that run were victories over pre-season favourites F.C. Halifax Town and a 4–0 drubbing of previously unbeaten Guiseley. Despite this, the club only sat in second place in the division, as Brackley Town also won each of their first seven games. The run came to an end with a 3–2 defeat at Boston United in Chester's eighth match. After two more victories, against Stalybridge Celtic and Bishop's Stortford, Chester went to the top of the table for the first time due to a 1–1 draw with Bradford Park Avenue. Following this draw, Chester then went on a run of twelve consecutive league victories, including a 3–2 win at Brackley. This run came to an end with a goalless draw, again against Bradford PA on 5 January, which was also the first league match of the season in which Chester failed to score. Chester were promoted to the Conference Premier following their 1–0 win at home to Boston United.

In the FA Cup, Chester FC's first ever match was a 1–1 draw away at Gainsborough Trinity in the second qualifying round. Chester won the replay at the Exacta Stadium 2–1 with goals from Dominic Collins and Levi Mackin. Chester's third qualifying round tie, at home to FC Halifax Town, was marred by crowd trouble, and finished in a 1–1 draw. Chester exited the FA Cup following a 3–1 win by Halifax at The Shay in the replay. The FA Trophy proved less successful for Chester than in the previous season, as the Blues failed to win a single match, exiting in a replay at Worksop Town.

On 6 April 2013, Chester were confirmed as champions of the Conference North, beating Boston United 1–0 at the Exacta through a Lewis Turner header, winning a third successive title, and in doing so, becoming the first club in English football history to achieve three successive promotions. Three promotions in their first three years means that Chester will play their next season's football in the Conference Premier, the level from which their predecessors Chester City were expelled in 2010.

Chester set several league records for the Conference North in this prolific season: most wins (34), fewest defeats (3), most points (107), most goals scored (103), best goal difference (+71) and also the longest unbeaten streak (30 games).

2013–14 season[edit]
As expected, for the 2013–14 season, Chester remained as a semi-professional club, despite the presence of a number of full-time clubs in the Conference Premier.[26] Before the season, bookmakers had high expectations for the Blues, with bookmakers making them eighth favourites for the Conference title.[27] However, the season started with the Blues in terrible form, with five consecutive defeats, including a 2–0 home defeat to fellow part-timers Woking after the visitors played the entire second half with ten men. Losing run ended with a 2–0 away win against arch rivals Wrexham.[28] This was the first Cross-border derby match since Chester had reformed.

However, by the end of December Chester was still in relegation zone with only 4 wins and left FA Cup and FA Trophy both after defeats in starting matches. On 8 January manager Neil Young left Chester by mutual consent after three and a half seasons.[29] Neil's assistant manager Gary Jones was put in charge while the club sought for a new manager. 18 January seen Steve Burr presented as the new manager after a consideration of 53 applications for the post received by Chester. Chester finished the season in 21st place and were relegated on goal difference. However, they were reprieved on 10 June after Hereford United, the team who finished above Chester in 20th place, were expelled from the Conference Premier for financial irregularities.[30]

Crest[edit]
The crest was designed by Martin Huxley, a Chester-based graphic artist and Chester F.C. fan,[31] 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 1743."[31]

In keeping with the club's crest, Chester's mascot is a friendly wolf called 'Big Lupus'.[32]

Colours[edit]
Chester play in blue and white stripes with black shorts and blue and white hooped socks, similar to their predecessors Chester City. For their first two seasons their shirts were made by sportswear company Joma; from the 2012–13 season onwards the kit will be made by Puma, whilst since reformation the club's kit has been sponsored by MBNA.[33][34] The Blues' away shirt colour has changed on an annual basis, having been purple in their first season,[33] yellow in 2011–12,[35] and green in 2012–13. The proposed away kit for the 2013–14 season is grey with black detail.

Stadium[edit]
Chester's home ground is Deva Stadium

Main article: Deva Stadium

Chester F.C. play at the Deva Stadium, currently renamed the Swansway Chester Stadium due to a sponsorship deal, the home of their predecessor. It has a capacity of 5,376 with 4,170 seated.

The stadium was leased to the club by Cheshire West and Chester Council.[9] The stadium is located in the Sealand Road Industrial Estate and is notable for straddling the England-Wales border.[36] The whole ground is in Wales (Flintshire) with part of the car park in England.[37]

Rivals[edit]
Main article: Cross-border derby

The main rivals of Chester F.C. are Welsh neighbours Wrexham, as was the case for their predecessor.

Current squad[edit]

 * As of 22 January 2015.[38][39][40][41][42][43]

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

Out on loan[edit]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Club captains[edit]
Below is a list of all players who have been selected to captain the squad to date:

International appearances[edit]
The following table shows players who have received an international cap whilst playing for the club (including substitutions) arranged alphabetically by nation in descending order:

Most league appearances and goals[edit]

 * As of 2 April 2014.

The following table shows players who have made 50 league appearances or more for the club (including substitutions) and players who have scored 25 league goals or more for the club (including penalties) in descending order:

Managerial history[edit]
Includes all league and cup competitions

League standings[edit]

 * Chester were later reprieved due to Hereford United's financial irregularities.

Honours[edit]
The list of honours achieved by Chester is as follows:

League[edit]

 * Conference North
 * Champions 2012–13[44]


 * Northern Premier League Premier Division
 * Champions 2011–12[45]


 * Northern Premier League Division One North
 * Champions 2010–11[46]

Cups[edit]

 * Cheshire Senior Cup
 * Winners 2012–13

Other trophies[edit]

 * Peter Swales Shield
 * Winners 2012


 * Supporters Direct Cup
 * Winners 2011

Records[edit]

 * Highest home league attendance: 5,009 v Northwich Victoria, 9 April 2012
 * Lowest home league attendance: 1,569 v Lincoln City, 27 January 2015
 * Most points (season): 107 (42 matches) – Conference North, 2012–13
 * Biggest home win: 6–0 v Trafford, 8 September 2010, 6–0 v Ossett Albion, 22 January 2011, 6–0 v North Ferriby United, 3 September 2011 and 6–0 v Stockport Sports (Cheshire Senior Cup), 29 January 2013
 * Biggest away win: 0–6 v Hinckley United, 12 January 2013
 * Biggest home defeat: 0–5 v Barnet, 9 August 2014
 * Biggest away defeat: 5–1 v Bristol Rovers, 3 April 2015
 * All-time top goalscorer: Michael Wilde – 46 goals (41 League, 5 Cups)
 * Most appearances: George Horan – 159 appearances (157 starts, 2 as sub)
 * Most league appearances: George Horan – 138 appearances (138 starts, 0 as sub)
 * Longest unbeaten league run: 31 matches, from 29 September 2012 to 13 April 2013