June 2007 News

29 June 2007
JOHN MURPHY RETURNS TO CITY

Striker John Murphy is back at Chester. The former City striker who left Deva Stadium in August 1999 to join Blackpool has signed a two year deal with the Blues after rejecting a new offer from Macclesfield Town.

He had eight successful years with the Seasiders scoring 103 goals in 270+28 appearances. He moved to Macclesfield Town last January after an initial loan spell. He scored 9 goals in 28+4 appearances for the Silkmen.

Prior to leaving for Blackpool John, who began his career as a trainee at Chester, mustered 21 goals in 75+44 appearances for Chester between 1995-99.

• Transfer Activity

Picture © Evening Leader

28 June 2007
ELLISON RARING TO GO
New signing Kevin Ellison is hoping to carry on from were he left of at City when he returns to training with the rest of the first team squad on 5 July. Ellison said: “I can’t wait to get started again. I will get back on July 5 and hopefully I can kick on from where I left off last time. I am glad to come to a club where I am wanted. I will just be glad to put the shirt on again and play football. It has been a long summer and I can’t wait to get started now.

I will just try and get in the team at first and see how it goes from there. There are a good few players here that I already know, so hopefully it won’t take too long to settle in. I still live locally, and while I have been away I have always kept tabs on what Chester have been doing. I would always look out for their results in the paper.”

Meanwhile former Leeds United striker Ian Moore is considerig an offer from Chester. Moore, son of Tranmere manager Ronnie, is the target of several clubs and has had talks with City this week.

26 June 2007
WELCOME BACK KEVIN

The team building for next season continues as Kevin Ellison has agreed terms with Chester and the 28-year-old completed his move from Tranmere Rovers for an undisclosed fee today. He’s been given a three year deal and has become Chester’s record signing.

Ellison scored 11 goals in 30 appearances for the Blues between August 2004 and January 2005 before being transferred to Hull City for £100,000. Last season he scored four goals in 25 matches for the Prenton Park side.

Manager Bobby Williamson said: “Kevin is an exciting signing for us, he has pace, a sweet left foot, and will give me balance on the left side.

With Ritchie Partridge signing last week, and Kevin now agreeing to join us, it gives us players who can get balls into the box from both flanks, and I am sure they will be favourites with our supporters.

Things are beginning to take shape, and the players are looking forward to pre-season and the build up to the new campaign.”

The Blues are also showing an interest in 36-year-old goalkeeper Gavin Ward, who was released by Tranmere last month is expected to join on a player/coaching position.

Ellison is the third signing made by manager Bobby Williamson after Nathan Lowndes and Ritchie Partridge joined recently.

Picture © Evening Leader | Kevin Ellison with manager Bobby Williamson.

25 June 2007
CHARITY CHALLENGE BY EX-DIRECTOR’S SONS
Matt and Mark Darlington, two sons of former club director Derek Darlington are holding a charity golf challenge on 6 July to raise money for the Nightingale House Hospice who looked after Derek in the last few days before he passed away last November.

Matt, Mark, Derek's youngest brother Howard Auty and Darren Shire, a family friend, will be taking on the challenge of "The Longest Day of Golf" in his memory to support a cause that was very close to him and the family. This will take place where Derek used to play at Old Padeswood Golf Club. Tee-off time is 05.00hrs and the four golfers will complete their challenge of 72 holes, 16 miles and numerous blisters an amazing 16 hours later at 21.00hrs.

The team hope to raise £5,000 for the Nightingale House Hospice and would welcome donations towards their cause. To donate please visit www.justgiving.com/derekdarlington where you can safely donate by credit or debit card and leave a message of support. you can also call Mark Darlington on 07792 169 539 with your pledge.

BLUES IN TALKS WITH ELLISON
After finally agreeing a transfer fee with Tranmere Rovers for former winger Kevin Ellison, City officials will hold talks today with the player to discuss personal terms over a move back to Deva Stadium.

City chairman Stephen Vaughan told the Daily Post: “The deal with Tranmere has been agreed, so we will now move on to the next stage of the process, which is agreeing a financial package with Kevin and his agent.”

Ellison scored 11 goals in 30 appearances for the Blues between August 2004 and January 2005 before being transferred to Hull City for a fee of £100,000.

22 June 2007
PARTRIDGE DEAL COMPLETE
City have completed the signing of 26-year-old Rotherham United wingerRitchie Partridge on a two year contract.

Partridge began his career as a trainee at Liverpool in 2000 before loan spells took him to both Bristol Rovers where he scored one goal in 4+2 appearances, and Coventry City where he made 27+4 appearances for the Sky Blues finding the net on four occasions.

In July 2005 Partridge moved to Sheffield Wednesday where he scored one goal in 8+12 appearances for the Owls. His last move to Rotherham United came last July and he notched up 33+3 appearances scoring four goals last season.

21 June 2007
MORE FIXTURE CHANGES
There have been several changes to the fixture list which can be viewed here.

19 June 2007
WAITING GAME

The Blues are still awaiting a reply from Tranmere Rovers after they made an improved offer for former winger Kevin Ellison last week. Chairman Steve Vaughan said: “We’re still waiting for an answer from Tranmere Rovers after making a revised bid for Kevin Ellison If we can agree a fee with Tranmere for the player then we will try and agree personal terms and conclude a deal.”

City are also hoping to finalise a deal in the next day or so that would bring 26-year-old Rotherham United winger Ritchie Partridge to Deva Stadium. Partridge was released by the Millers last week and has held talks with Chester.

Vaughan is keen that both signings can be completed sooner rather than later. “We have put together what we consider to be an attractive financial package to Ritchie. Hopefully we will see a positive conclusion to our talks this week. It would be a big boost to get two League One players to join us like Kevin Ellison and Richie Partridge. If we can sign Ritchie Partridge to fill our right side and Kevin Ellison to take up our left wing role I feel we’re only then looking to sign a midfield general and a striker before the season starts.” said the City chairman.

16 June 2007
FIXTURE SWITCH
No surprise really, but the official Wrexham website states that our home fixture with them has been put back to the following day and will now take place on Sunday 9 March 2008. The game will be all-ticket and kick-off at 12:00hrs.

14 June 2007
HOME KICK-OFF FOR BLUES
City will kick-off the new season on Saturday 11 August with a home game against newly relegated Chesterfield.

NEW FRIENDLIES
AFC Telford United have confirmed a pre-season home friendly against Chester City for Tuesday 17 July at the New Bucks Head, kick-off 19:45hrs. The Blues will also send a side to play Jim Hackett’s Connah’s Quay Nomads on Thursday 26 July (19:30)

13 June 2007
CARLING CUP

City have been drawn at home to Nottingham Forest in the first round of the Carling Cup. The game is scheduled to take place the week commencing 13 August.

Of course the two sides met recently in the second round of the FA Cup in December 2005 when two goals from Ryan Lowe, and Marcus Richardson gave the Blues a 3-0 victory.

Manager Bobby Williamson told the Evening Leader: “It will be a very difficult home tie against a club that play one division above us. I’m ever the optimist, but I know full well that Nottingham Forest will be still smarting from missing out on promotion. There’s always hope in games like this and sometimes they throw up a few surprises – hopefully that will be the case when we play Forest.”

SLOVENIAN INTERNATIONALS TO TRAIN AT CITY
Two Slovenian U21 international players are to join in with City in pre-season training and may take part in some of the friendly fixtures. They are Defender Luka Zinko and goalkeeper Igor Nenezic.

City chairman Stephen Vaughan told the Daily Post: “Both players are extremely well thought of in their own country and they have both indicated that they would like to play in the Football League. Of course as Slovenia is a member of the EU, work permits would not be required.

Luka Zinko played for NK Domzale, who have just won the Slovenian championship whilst Nenezic is an agile and commanding shot stopper. We have signed ‘lock-out’ agreement with the players’ agent which means that we have first refusal on the players’ signatures.”

8 June 2007
CITY TARGET PARTRIDGE
Chester have targeted another player in their hunt to build a squad for next season. He’s Rotherham United’s 26-year-old Ritchie Partridge. Partridge began his career at Liverpool before moving on to Sheffirld Wednesday in 2005 after two loan spells at Bristol Rovers and Coventry City.

City chairman Steve Vaughan said: “A letter has gone in the post to Rotherham requesting to speak to Ritchie Partridge. If Rotherham give us permission, it will just be a case of sorting out personal terms.”

Another player interesting Chester, Oldham Athletic left winger Paul Edwards has today signed for Port Vale.

6 June 2007
CARLING CUP DRAW
The draw for the first round of the Carling Cup will take place at 10:00 on Wednesday 13 June, with ties being played week commencing 13 August.

CHANGE STRIP
The away kit for next season has been unveiled and will be a yellow shirt with blue trim and sleeves, with yellow shorts and socks.

5 June 2007
TRAINING DEAL FOR CITY
City will be training nearer to home after securing a two year deal to use the facilities at Chester’s Catholic High School in Handbridge.The first team, youth and centre of excellence teams will all be holding their sessions there. The first team had previously been using the facilities at the Castrol Sports Club in Ellesmere Port while the CoE had been using Abbey Gate college in Saighton.

Chairman Stephen Vaughan said: “Centre of Excellence manager Mark Newman and chief executuve Bob Gray have worked long and hard at securing the deal which will see the Blues have a firm base for the future on a quality facility with plenty of room for all.”

2 June 2007
CLUB CONSIDER PRE-SEASON TRIP
The club have announced that they are considering taking up an invitation to partake in a pre-season trip to North Cyprus that will involve a friendly against Nottingham Forest. North Cyprus is not the easiest desitnation to travel to, it is under Turkish control and is not recognised by the United Nations!

Chairman Stephen Vaughan told the Chronicle: “We’ve had request from a multi-national company to go out there and now we’re just waiting on Uefa approval. Our pre-season programme has already been put in place, so if we don’t get permission to go it won’t be any particular problem.”

1 June 2007
FIRST SIGNING FOR WILLIAMSON

City manager Bobby Williamson has made his first signing of the summer as striker Nathan Lowndes joins the Blues from Port Vale. The 29-year-old forward scored 7 goals in 44+23 appearances for the Valiants since signing for them in November 2004 and has joined Chester on a two year deal.

Salford-born Lowndes has played under Williamson before at his time with Plymouth Argyle. He began his career in 1994 as a trainee at Leeds United before making a move to Watford a year later where he made 3+8 appearances. In 1998 he moved north of the border to play for St Johnstone. He made 38+39 appearances for the Perthshire side scoring 18 goals. In 2001 Lowndes signed for Livingston, scoring 3 goals in 7+18 appearances. A short two game loan spell at Rotherham United was made before a move back south to Plymouth Argyle in the summer of 2002. In his two years at Home park Lowndes made 29+30 appearances scoring on 12 occasions. In November 2004 he made his last move to Port Vale.

Manager Williamson said: “I am delighted that Nathan has agreed to join us. He is a classy player, works hard and will be a valuable addition to our squd, Nathan played for me when I was the manager of Plymouth Argyle. He has pace and is extremely mobile.”

“I am aware that things didn’t work out as he would have liked during his spell at Port Vale, but he has an eye for a goal and I know he will become a favourite of the Chester fans.”