27
February 2004
UNITED CLOSE GAP
Hereford United’s 9-0 demolition of Dagenham &
Redbridge equalled the Conference away winning margin
and lifted the Bulls to within five points of City. There
was a goal for former Blue Mark Beesley and a hat-trick
for another ex-player David Brown as the Bulls equalled
a record set by Sutton United who won 9-0 at Gateshead
in 1990/91. The rout also now gives Hereford a one goal
better goal difference that City.
CARDEN AVAILABLE FOR CITY
 Paul
Carden should be available for inclusion in Saturday’s
squad as the Blues travel to Surrey to play eigth placed
Woking in a live televised match that will kick-off at
17:35hrs. Kingfield has proved a bad hunting ground for
City who have lost there on each of their three previous
visits. Last season’s 1-0 defeat will be remembered
for two City players being red-carded, Wayne Hatswell
and Kevin Mcintyre as the Blues conceded their first away
goal of the season to a controversial penalty; it was
also the first game in charge for Cards boss Glenn Cockerill.
The Cards have lost just once
at home this season (to Hereford United 0-1) and their
Kingfield record reads: P16, W8, D7, L1, F31, A18. They
have also signed Luke Oliver on loan from Wycombe Wanderers
until the end of the season but will be missing striker
Raphael Nade through a one game suspension. This will
be a tough game for City who have lost only twice on
their travels this season, at Exeter City and Forest
Green Rovers, against a Woking side pushing for a play-off
place in their first season as a full-time club.
Unlike last season, when the ‘Jon
Brady factor’ forced a change, there will be NO
segregation at Saturday’s game so fans (who don’t
suffer from vertigo!) will be able to enjoy the view
from the impressive main stand, though there is a £2.00
transfer charge. The social club will be open to all
from 14:30hrs.
For those who can’t get
to the match tomorrow, it’s being screen in the
Deva Stadium social club, food will also be available.
26 February 2004
HEREFORD UNITED
As expected, City’s last game of the season against
Hereford United at Edgar Street on Saturday 24 April will
be all-ticket. Chester have been given an allocation of
1,900 (inc about 400 seats) and details of sales arrangements
are expected in the next week or so.
23 February 2004
SHOP RESTOCKING
The Deva Stadium club shop is now being run on a franchise
basis by Queensferry Sports and is stocking up on goods
just in time for the promotion run-in. Training tops,
T-shirts, polo shirts etc are all currently for sale before
and after the game.
 |
 |
| Umbro Travel Polo Shirts |
Junior £14.99, Adult £19.99 |
| Umbro Sweatshirts |
Adult £24.99 |
| Royal Blue Summer Jackets |
Adult £24.99 |
| Rain Jackets |
Junior £19.99, Adult £24.99 |
| Navy Polo Shirts |
Adult £14.99 |
| Toffs Seals 1974-75 Shirts |
Adult £29.99 |
| White T-Shirts |
Junior £5.99, Adult £7.99 |
| Scarves |
£6.99 |
| Hats with badge |
£6.99 |
| Hats with lettering |
£4.99 |
| Badges |
£1.00 |
| Keyrings |
£1.99 |
| Umbrellas |
£9.99 |
| Tankards |
£24.99 |
| Teddy Bears |
£9.99 |
| Coffee Mugs |
£6.00 |
22 February 2004
BLUES GO EIGHT POINTS CLEAR
 Darryn
Stamp’s winning goal in the third minute of injury
time against Dagenham & Redbridge could prove priceless.
City’s 2-1 victory leaves them eight points clear
of Hereford United after the Bulls were beaten at home
1-0 by Woking, our opponents next week. City opened the
scoring on 17 minutes as Daryl Clare sent Tony Roberts
the wrong way to score from the penalty spot after the
‘keeper had brought down Alex Smith.
The striker has now reached the 20 goal spot and has impressively
scored in each of the last eight league matches. Leon
Braithwaite headed the Daggers’ equaliser on 71
minutes before an inspired substitution saw Ben Davies
and Michale Twiss introduced for the last 15. Twiss’
surging left wing runs caused all sorts of problems as
City pushed forward for a winner in the closing minutes.
The Blues had a goal disallowed, a shot cleared off the
line and saw a Clare shot well saved by Roberts before
Stamp pounced from eight yards to turn home Twiss’
pull-back for his 19th goal of the season and complete
a remarkable last five minutes.
Manager Mark Wright hinted aftert the match that a right
winger was next on his shopping list. “I’ve
now got to go and see the chairman and see what we can
do. I’ve got to go out and find a right-winger,
and if we can then it becomes impressive for us. We’re
looking to improve all the time, and now is the time when
I’ve got to go and see the chairman. But that right
winger can’t just be anyone. We need someone with
pace because that would be a massive bonus to everyone
at this football club.” he told the local press.
20 February 2004
TOUGH TEST FOR CITY
City entertain Dagenham & Redbridge at Deva Stadium
tomorrow (15:00hrs) without midfielder Paul Carden who
sits out the game through suspension. Manager Mark Wright
will include recent loan signings Chris Lane and Danny
Williams in his squad, though whether either player starts
remains to be seen. The sides last met in early October
sharing the spoils in a 0-0 draw at Victoria Road.
Dagenham currently lie in 11th place on 41 points and
will be looking to close the nine point gap between themselves
and a play-off position. The Daggers have won five games
on their travels so far this season including recent victories
at Accrington Stanley (3-2), and Barnet (4-2), they also
caused a shock with a 5-0 home win over promotion hopefuls
Shrewsbury Town in early January.
19 February 2004
CITY SIGN WILLIAMS ON LOAN
Following on from Iain Turner and Chris Lane, Kidderminster
Harriers 24-year-old midfielder Danny Williams has today
become City’s third loan signing in quick succession.
He started his career as a trainee at Liverpool in 1997
before signing, two years later, for Wrexham. During his
time at the Racecourse he made 47+1 appearances for the
Dragons scoring 2 goals, he also made 6 loan appearances
at Doncaster Rovers before signing for Kidderminster in
June 2001. He has since clocked up 122+4 appearances for
Shropshire side scoring 8 goals. He is expected to go
straight into Saturday’s squad who entertain Dagenham
& Redbridge. Williams currently has four bookings to his
name this season.
City manager Mark Wright said: “Danny is training
with us and is eligible for selection for Saturday’s
home game against Dagenham and Redbridge. He’s 6ft
1in tall, mobile, and a very good footballer who can play
in midfield or defence. Danny’s wife wants to move
back into this area and we’ve managed to get him
on board for a month.”
18 February 2004
BUCKS HEAD VISIT
City with travel to play Telford United on Tuesday 16
March which is the new date for the fixture postponed
last week due to the home side’s FA Trophy commitments.
15 February 2004
VAUGHAN HINTS AT SIGNING
City chairman Steve Vaughan has hinted, through the Liverpool
Daily Post, that City could be signing and experienced
midfield player from a Football League side in time for
Saturday’s game against Dagenham & Redbridge.
Vaughan said that a deal is finalised with the player
and that he will bring a wealth of experience to the side.
“I’m always looking to strengthen my squad
and I’m quite close to bringing someone in with
Football League experience. I’m not going to say
who I’m going to sign, but the player I’m
looking at will improve us. I’ve also been looking
at a big centre forward, and a goalkeeper, as well as
a left-sided midfielder.” said manager Mark Wright.
CONTRACT TALKS
The club have offered new contracts to two of their key
players, defender Scott Guyett and goalkeeper Wayne Brown.
Brown, who is currently the club’s longest serving
player with over 260 appearances to his name, is still
recovering from a broken bone in a foot and is expected
to still be out until the end of the month.
11 February 2004
LANE JOINS ON LOAN AS FOSTER MOVES
OUT
 Chris
Lane has completed his loan move to Chester and may compete
in tonight’s reserve game against Southport. The
former Hereford United, Southport and Morecambe defender
has signed on for City until the end of the season.
Meanwhile, striker Ian Foster has
returned to his previous club Kidderminster Harriers
on a one month loan. With competition for places in
the forward line fierce, Foster has played just 10+9
time for City in the Conference this season scoring
two goals in the process.
City manager Mark Wright told
the Liverpool Daily Post: “We wish Ian well in his
spell at Aggborough, with his first team opportunities
being limited here at the Deva Stadium, the agreement
suits both parties. Ian has a lot to offer, and obviously
knows Kidderminster extremely well, and I am sure he will
be keen to repeat his previous successes down there.”
Foster is expected to play in tonight’s game against
Cheltenham Town.
HEARD STAYS
Jamie Heard is staying put at Chester after turning
down the chance to join Leigh RMI on loan in the deal
that brought Chris Lane to the Deva until the end of the
season. “I’m not going to make Jamie go to
Leigh if he doesn’t want to go. I think it’s
great that he wants to stay and fight for his place.”
said City manager Mark Wright.
10 February 2004
CITY LOOK TO BOOST SQUAD
City are poised to sign former Southport and Morecambe
defender Chris Lane on loan. He’s currently playing
at Leigh RMI and the deal looks set to involve both Jamie
Heard and Steve Brodie heading in the opposite direction
on loan until the end of the season. Lane began his career
at Everton before signing for Hereford United in 1998
where he made 55+2 appearances scoring 3 goals. In 2001
he signed for Southport (managed by Mark Wright) where
he went on to make 92+2 appearances scoring 2 goals before
joining Morecambe last May, he was released in December.
“We are delighted and hopefully this will give us
all a big boost. Jamie Heard is strong and gets up and
down and Steve Brodie has done it in the Football League
and scored goals for clubs in the Conference. Hopefully
he will do the same for us.” Leigh boss Phil Starbuck
told the BBC.
7 February 2004
CITY GO EIGHT POINTS CLEAR
 The
Blues extended their lead at the top of the Nationwide
Conference today to eight points after beating Farnborough
Town 3-2 and hearing of Hereford United’s defeat.
City got off to a dream start with a goal on 45 seconds
from Darryn Stamp, touching home a Daryl Clare cross;
and doubled their lead just before the half-hour mark
as Daryl Clare drove home following Stamp’s flick-on.
City missed several chances to extend their lead, with
Stamp hitting the bar before the break as City reached
half-time with a two-goal lead.
However, as against Gravesend, the Blues surrendered
their advantage. First Nick Burton to fired home from
close range on 52 minutes the Richard Hodgson equalised
on 68 minutes as visitors Farnborough battled back.
The game looked to be heading for a draw, and a disappointing
two points dropped for City, before Clare seized on
a lay-off from Stamp on the edge of the box to fire
home into the bottom right-hand corner from 20 yards
out.
With City’s closest rivals Hereford United losing
at home 2-1 to Burton Albion, the Blues are now left eight
points clear of The Bulls, having played one game more.
6 February 2004
DEBUT FOR TURNER
City are back in action tomorrow with the visit
of Farnborough Town to Deva Stadium (15:00hrs). This is
City’s first game for a fortnight since the 4-0
victory at Northwich Victoria. On-loan goalkeeper Iain
Turner will make his Blues debut while City’s midfield
will be without Paul Carden who serves the first game
of a two-match ban having reached ten bookings this season.
The sides last met in September at Cherrywood Road when
two goals from Darryn Stamp gave the Blues three points
in a 2-1 victory. Farnborough currently lie in 19th position
and have taken Swindon defender Ben Martin on a month’s
loan this week. Their away record so far this season reads:
P14, W2, D1, L11, F13, A26.
4 February 2004
TURNER JOINS CITY ON LOAN
 Chester
City have recruited Everton reserve goalkeeper Iain Turner
on a one-month loan. Turner is a regular on the Toffees’
reserve side which is managed by ex-City player Andy Holden.
The young Scot is a highhly rated keeper and joined Everton
for £50,000 from Stirling Albion twelve months ago.
He is capped at under-16 and under-18 level for Scotland
and was called up to the under-21 squad in December 2002.
City manager Mark Wright praised his opposite number at
Goodison Park David Moyes saying: “This is a major
coup for us, Iain comes with glowing recommendations and
I know he will be a great plus for us. I would like to
publicly thank David Moyes who has been extremely helpful
in this matter. David has bent over backwards to help
us, and the gesture to assist a local club in this way
should not be forgotten.”
FOSTER STAYS
Nuneaton Borough have failed in their attempt
to sign City forward Ian Foster. Borough manager Alan
Lewer was hoping to sign Foster to bolster the Manor Park
attack but he told the Coventry Evening Telegraph: “I
thought we’d got Ian but he doesn’t want to
come. He didn’t want to drop out of the Nationwide
Conference as he’s determined to get back into the
Chester team. Obviously I’m disappointed but that
was his decision and we can’t do anything about
it.”
JUNIORS JUST KEEP ON WINNING
City’s Junior sides are in tremendous form
this season. The under 12s, 13s, 14s and 16s all currently
top, or joint top, of their respective leagues. For the
latest reports and a link to current tables and forthcoming
fixtures click here.
2 February 2004
TELFORD MATCH OFF
The FA website confirms that Telford United will
be playing Weston-super-Mare in the FA Trophy on 14 February
leaving City with another blank weekend.
KEEPER SEARCH CONTINUES
Manager Mark Wright’s search for an experienced
goalkeeper continues. With Ian McCaldon having left to
start a new career in Australia, and Wayne Brown still
sidelined with a broken bone in a foot, the Blues have
just five days to sign a replacement either on loan or
full-time. Coventry City’s Frenchman Pegguy Arphexad
has already turned down a Deva move not wanting to drop
below the second division and there’s no more news
regarding Tony Pennock whose name was linked with a possible
move last week.
Another name being linked is that of Stuart Jones. Jones,
like Wayne Brown, started his career at Weston-super-Mare
in 1997 before moving to Sheffield Wednesday for £20,000
a year later. He stayed at the Hillsborough club for two
years, but after loan spells at Crewe Alexandra and Torquay
United he joined The Gulls in 2000 for a reported £30,000
where he went on to make 34 appearances for the Devon
side. He moved on and had a loan spell at Deva Stadium
in January/February 2002 making one appearance for City�s
reserves at Lancaster City. He moved to Barry Town in
February 2002 and is now back at Weston-super-Mare. |
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