News from Deva Stadium September 2012

26 September 2012
MATCH POSTPONED
Tonight’s home FA Cup replay against Gainsborough Trinity has been postponed due to a waterlogged pitch. The match will now take place next Tuesday night 2 October, kick-off 19:45hrs. The match next Wednesday against Bradford Park Avenue will now be rescheduled for later in the season.

MOTORS MATCH ALL TICKET
The away match at Vauxhall Motors on Tuesday 30 October is to be all-ticket. Tickets are priced at £10.00 for adults with all concessions at £6.00. More details on distribution will be available as soon as possible.

25 September 2012
BLUES SIGN SOUTHPORT STRIKER
Chester have signed 28-year-old Southport forward Tony Gray. Gray scored 24 goals for the Haig Avenue side in the Conference Premier last season and has scored an impressive 78 goals in 158 matches for the Sandgrounders. It is reported that work commitments was preventing him from taking on extra training at Southport. He has signed for an undisclosed fee, believed to be four figures. Gray will go straight into the squad for Saturday’s league match at Stalybridge Celtic.

24 September 2012
FA CUP DRAW

Should Chester overcome Gainsborough Trinity in Wednesday night’s FA Cup replay they will face FC Halifax Town at home in the third qualifying round on Saturday 6 October, kick-off 15:00hrs.

Chester played Halifax earlier in the month running out 2-1 winners thanks to goals from Ben Mills and Dave Hankin in an entertaining encounter that saw the visitors on top for much of the opening period. Manager Neil Young said: “If we get through we will have the hardest tie of the round once again. We’re going to have to do it the hard way.”

Chester were held 1-1 at Gainsborough Trinity on Saturday with Nathan Jarman equalising late in the first half for the Blues after they had fallen behind as early as the tenth minute through a strike by Paul Connor. There was no start for new signing Mark Redshaw, the striker didn’t receive international clearance in time for the tie and as such won’t be available for the replay either.

BLUES INTERESTED IN DENSON
Chester have given Colwyn Bay seven days notice that they wish to speak to 21-year-old full-back Luke Denson. Denson was an apprentice at Tranmere Rovers and joined The Seagulls three years ago when Neil Young was manager.

CFU MEETING
There will be a members meeting of City Fans United in the Blues Bar at the football ground this Thursday night starting at 19:30hrs.

21 September 2012
STRIKER SIGNS ON SHORT TERM CONTRACT
Chester have signed 27-year-old forward Mark Redshaw on a short term contract until December. Redshaw has recently been playing in Holland for FC Oss and, if international clearance comes through, could make his debut tomorrow at Gainsborough Trinity in the clubs first forray in the FA Cup since it reformed over two years ago. Manager Neil Young is also looking for another forward with a “proven goalscoring record at a higher level” to replace Adam Proudlock who left the club recently.

Young told the Chester Chronicle: Young said: “Mark will come in on a short-term deal and we will have a look at him but we are still hoping to sign a permanent replacement for Adam Proudlock next week. We have identified who we would like and after both clubs have played over the weekend we will speak with his club.”

The winners of tomorrow’s cup match will receive £4,500 prize money, should there be a replay it will take place next Wednesday, kick-off 19:45hrs.

20 September 2012
GREAT WIN FOR YOUTH TEAM
Goals from Ryan Barry and Carl Pleavin gave the youth team, a mix of 16 and 17 year-old’s, an excellent victory at Burscough in their first FA Youth Cup match, since the club reformed. The young Blues side will now face Ashton Athletic at home in the second qualifying round in the on Thursday 4 October, kick-off 19:45hrs. Admission costs are £2.00 for adults, £1.00 for concessions and it is free for children.

Chester: Ryan Nield, Owen Crawford (Sean Miller 75), Corey Mason, Richard Tomassen, Jordan Grace, Josh Lyth, Callum Woods, Ryan Barry (Jonny O’Sullivan 85), Tom Peers, Joe Ormrod 11, Conner Kendrick (Carl Pleavin 65) Subs not used: Ollie Foster, Josh Rimmer.

19 September 2012
FA YOUTH CUP
Chester play their first match since reforming in the FA Youth Cup tonight when they travel to Burscough in the first qualifying round, kick-off 19:45hrs.

18 September 2012
AIRBUS FRIENDLY
Chester ran out 3-1 winners in a friendly at Airbus tonight. The goals came from Wes Baynes, trialist Fola Onibuje and Nathan Jarman. The Blues team was: Fearon, Baynes, Collins, Linwood (Horan), Clancy, Booth (M.Williams 46), Sarcevic (Hankin), Powell, Howard, Jarman, Onibuje.

16 September 2012
BLUES ABANDON EFFORTS TO SIGN MILLS

Chester have abandoned plans to sign Ben Mills following his loan spell at the club. The 23-year-old Macclesfield Town forward had an outstanding eight games spell for Chester in which he scored nine goals but the full-time player won’t be making the move permanent after a week of talks with the east Cheshire side failed to produce a satisfactory outcome.

Chester had agreed a five figure sum, believed to be £10,000 for the former Nantwich Town striker but it appears the asking price was then upped by 30% after Mills scored a hat-trick against Guiseley last week. It is reported that Chester increased their offer but it still fell short of the Silkmen’s new valuation.

Whether the player would have signed is unknown, he is currently full time at Moss Rose and also holds an academy role at Stoke City. Chester’s players are all part-time of course and are paid for 37-38 weeks of the year, as opposed to the 52 weeks Mills is on at Moss Rose. Young will now turn his attention to finding another striker to replace Mills, hopefully in time for Saturday’s FA Cup match at Gainsborough Trinity.

Manager Neil Young (pictured) became increasingly frustrated as the transfer saga dragged on last week. He told the Chester Chronicle: “The deal, financially, was not in the best interests of the football club. I had to look at the deal from a business point of view and from a playing squad point of view and I have decided to pull out of it.”

“Without going into details we did everything, financially, to make it happen. It’s not anyone’s fault when you are part-time and you looking to sign players from full-time clubs. It will always be difficult financially to do. We wish Ben well for his future career. I’ve got a fantastic squad of players and now our attention turns to our next match.”

Picture � Rick Matthews (Chester Leader)

DEFEAT FOR CHESTER
The Blues suffered a 3-2 defeat at Boston United on Saturday and therefore failed to set a new club record of eight successive victories at the start of a season. Poor defending in the first half saw the Blues trail 3-0 at the break. Substitute Iain Howard struck two goals in as many minutes just after the restart to give Blues fans hopes of a miracle fightback but it was not to be so Chester tasted defeat for the first time in 23 matches.

• League Table

10 September 2012
FA CUP DRAW

Chester face an away tie at fellow Conference North side Gainsborough Trinity in the second qualifying round of the FA Cup. The tie will take place on Saturday 22 September.

Manager Neil Young told the Chester Leader: “We’ve been handed another unkind cup draw which is disappointing, but we’ll just after get on with it. It would have been nice if we could have received a home tie in front of a big crowd, but I’m sure Gainsborough won’t be happy that they have drawn us.”

“I’ve had a look down the full FA Cup draw and it looks like we have received the hardest tie, but we’ll certainly be full of confidence after starting so well in the league. We face two long trips to Lincolnshire, but I know Nathan Jarman won’t be alarmed because he lives in Scunthorpe.”

CHESTER MOVE SECOND

Chester produced a superb performance on Saturday to record a 4-0 win over unbeaten Guiseley. Hero of the day was on-loan striker Ben Mills who scored a hat-trick to take his tally to nine goals in seven games since his arrival from Macclesfield Town.

A delighted Neil Young said “I thought we were fantastic from start to finish. After watching Guiseley in midweek I wanted the players to keep the ball better and the lads carried out the plan to perfection.”

Manager Young made several changes from the side that fought out a thrilling 2-1 win over FC Halifax Town in midweek; in came John Danby, Levi Mackin, Antoni Sarcevic, Wes Baynes, and Marc Williams while Scott Brown made his debut in midfield.

It took Mills just five minutes to open his account ramming the ball home at the second attempt and followed that 20 minutes later with a long range effort that Lions ‘keeper Steve Drench should really have saved. The hat-trick was completed on the hour as MIlls headed home after George Horan had nodded across goal a Wes Baynes free kick.

The scoring was completed six minutes from time as substitute Iain Howard scored with an angled shot from he edge of the area.

The victory moved Chester above their opponents into second place behind Brackley Town who have also won their opening seven matches and have a superior goal difference.

• League Table | Match report

Picture � Rick Matthews (Chester Leader)

8 September 2012
PROUDLOCK DEPARTS
Striker Adam Proudlock has had his contract with the club cancelled by mutual consent.

6 September 2012
BLUES EDGE THRILLER TO MAINTAIN RECORD

Chester maintained their 100% start to the season but they were made to fight all the way by an impressive FC Halifax Town last night with the Blues edging a thrilling encounter against their promotion rivals 2-1 in front of another 3,000+ crowd.

Goal machine Ben Mills was on target once again to give Chester an early lead but the defence, with Martin Fearon replacing John Danby who injured himself in the warm up, to make an impressive home debut in goal, survived relentless pressure from the visitors for much of the rest of the first half. Dave Hankin extended the lead eight minutes after the break, scoring his first goal for the club in the process, before the Shaymen reduced the deficit through a great Jon Worthington strike just three minutes later.

A delighted manager Neil Young praised his sides resolve after the game telling the Chester Chronicle: “I thought, particularly first half, they (FC Halifax) passed the ball very well, got the full-backs on and great credit to them. We nicked a goal, although saying that I thought for the first 10 minutes we were the better team, but once we scored that woke them up and they started dictating.”

“But no-one can question our effort and commitment. The Chester public should be very proud of every one of those lads because their effort and commitment against a very good side was there for all to see. Not one of them left anything out there on the pitch – every one of them put every ounce of their body into it.”

“Some of Halifax’s football was a pleasure to watch – I was enjoying it myself in the first half particularly. But we got them in at half-time, stopped Jason Jarrett getting on the ball, let their right-back come out a little more and tried stopping Jason St Juste on the other side.”

Chester entertain second placed Guiseley tomorrow, kick-off 15:00hrs. Like the Blues, the West Yorkshire outfit have won their opening six games of the season and only lie second to Brackley Town by virtue of scoring one goal less!

Manager Neil Young is in no doubt of the task that Chester face tomorrow: “They have been play-off semi-finalists and play-off finalists for the past two years. They have had a great start and their manager really knows what he is doing. He’s been close before and he’ll want to go one step further this season. We’ll have a really big job on our hands.”

• League Table | More pictures

Picture � Rick Matthews (Chester Leader)

4 September 2012
TAYLOR LOANED OUT

Manager Neil Young has loaned out defender Michael Taylor (pictured) to AFC Fylde for six weeks in an effort to keep him match fit. The player who signed a new contract in May has so far started just once, at Altrincham, in the opening five games this season following the summer signings of central defenders Dom Collins and Paul Linwood. The Blues will be able to recall the player in the first four weeks of that period.

Meanwhile Chester have moved to take Macclesfield Town midfielder Scott Brown on a short term deal after the player left Conference Premier side Macclesfield Town. Brown could be in the squad for tonight’s eagerly anticipated home game against FC Halifax Town, kick-off 19:45hrs. Manager Young will welcome back both Antoni Sarcevic and Wes Baynes from injury to the squad for the clash.

Both Guiseley and Brackley Town kept the pressure on with victories at Colwyn Bay and Gloucester City respectively last night as Chester look to keep pace with their fellow pacesetters in making it six wins out of six tonight.

• League Table

Picture � Rick Matthews (Chester Leader)

1 September 2012
BILL SOUTER 1931-2012

Former Chester player Bill Souter died at the end of August at the age of 81. The Dundee-born full-back played 51 league games for the club between 1957 and 1960 and our condolences go out to his family and friends.

• Obituary

Webmaster |

Back | Top