News from Deva Stadium July 2016

31 July 2016
BURTON TOO STRONG FOR BLUES
Chester were beaten 3-0 by Championship side Burton Albion in their latest home pre-season friendly with Lucas Akins (2) and Stuart Bevan on the scoresheet for The Brewers. Manager Jon McCarthy was disappointed with the first half showing from the Blues saying: “I was really disappointed with the first half, it almost had a testimonial feel to it. They are three leagues above us but I’m still disappointed we didn’t do more to challenge them. There were five or six players in the first half who were nowhere near the standards they have already shown me.”

Chester complete their pre-season on Tuesday night with a home game against Burnley U21 (19.00hrs), before the new Conference Premier season gets underway with a trip to Gateshead on Saturday.

30 July 2016
TEAM PICTURE
The team and player pictures for the 2016/17 season were taken and released this week.

• Team picture | Players

28 July 2016
DUO SIGN
Chester have signed forward Oluwaseun Akintunde and midfielder Wade Joyce after both impressed in pre-season friendlies. Akintunde (20) has previously played for Cambridge United and had loan spells at AFC Sudbury and Histon. He scored a first half hat-trick in the friendly at Marine recently. Joyce (22) has previously had playing spells st St Johnstone, Barnsley and Stockport County.

Chester are back in action on Saturday with a home friendly against Burton Albion, kick-off 15.00hrs.

27 July 2016
CHESTER DRAW AT NANTWICH
The Blues were held to a 1-1 draw in their latest pre-season match at Northern Premier League side nantwich Town. The Dabbers took the lead through Steve Jones on 17 minutes but Chester equalised 24 minutes later with a first goal in a Blue shirt from Elliott Durrell.

Manager Jon McCarthy was happy with his latest team showing: “We asked for another level from us in terms of workrate. The shape was a little bit off in the first half but we were pleased with some of the passing. We got a little bit more structure in the second half. We have Burton coming to us and it's that extra 10% you find again so we can kick on from there. But it is the next step on the journey towards Gateshead and I'm really happy with the workout.”

Chester: Roberts (Worsnop 45), Horwood (Evans 80), George (Joyce 68), Hudson (Hughes 78), Astles, Shaw (Reeves 80), Durrell (Mahon 68), Hunt, Waters, Akintunde (Chapell 68), Alabi (Richards 45). Subs not used: Evans, Reeves.

25 July 2016
AKINTUNDE HAT-TRICK FOR BLUES
Trialist James Akintunde scored a ten minute first half hat-trick as Chester ran our 5-3 winners at Marine on Saturday. Several trialist’s took part in the latest pre-season workout that saw the Blues lead 5-1 at half-time. The two other goals came from the impressive Matty Waters and Sam Hughes.

Chester: Jones, Hughes, Heath, Evans, Murray (Excel 46), Reeves (Muscat 46), Newton (Newitt 46), Waters (Ellams 46), Akintude (Mendes 46), Hamilton, Baillie.

18 July2016
REARRANGED FRIENDLIES
Bolton Wanderers have pulled out of the pre-season friendly on Wednesday, Chester will now host Airbus instead, kick-off 19.45hrs. On Saturday 30 July Burton Albion will visit Chester, this game replaces the fixture originally planned against Port Vale, kick-off 15.00hrs.

• Pre-season friendlies

BLUES HELD AT ALTRINCHAM

Chester remain unbeaten in pre-season after being held 2-2 at Conference North side Altrincham on Saturday. Kane Richards gave the Blues the lead midway through the opening half with a sharp effort across goal following a corner. Jon Worsnop made a couple of fine saves to preserve the slender lead going into the break.

Altrincham, now managed by former Blues boss Neil Young, deservedly drew level though on the hour mark through Damian Reeves and took the lead ten minutes from time through Danny Hattersley. Fine play by Jordan Chapell set up James Alibi who coolly finished three minutes later as the Blues had to settle for a share of the spoils.

Manager Jon McCarthy said: “We’re disappointed with the performance and frustrated. We’ve scored two good goals and my two strikers have scored and have got two goals in pre-season so there's benefits in that and there was some good little bits of play and the second goal involving Chapell and Alabi was great.”

“But overall we felt like we were a little bit off but it gives us an opportunity to look at some things in how we prepared and our shape and when we press. I think some of our players got a little bit caught in between today.”

Picture © Rick Matthews (Chester Leader)

15 July 2016
BLUES HOLD WIGAN
Chester drew 0-0 with Wigan Athletic in an encouraging display on Wednesday night. Both Jon Worsnop and Liam Roberts were kept busy by the Latics attack but the Blues defence coped well with Blaine Hudson and Ryan Astles forming a solid new partnership. At the other end James Alibi had the best chance of the game but was denied by ‘keeper Lee Nicholls in a one-on-one.

12 July 2016
VALE GAME POSTPONED
Port Vale have cancelled the planned pre-season friendly at Chester on Saturday 30 July. New opponents are now being sought to fill in the blank day just a week before the new season gets underway at Gateshead.

11 July 2016
BLUES SIGN DEFENDER ON LOAN
Chester have signed 19-year-old defender Theo Vassell on loan from Walsall until January 2017. The Stoke-on-Trent born player signed a one year contract with the Saddlers last week after leaving Oldham Athletic and scored in a friendly game against Norwich City at the weekend.

PRE-SEASON STARTS WITH VICTORY
The Blues started their pre-season campaign with a 4-0 victory at North West Counties league side Sandbach United on Saturday. James Alibi, Kane Richards, trialist Ryan Edwards and Jonathan Hunt scored the goals. Chester are back in action on Wednesday night with a home game against Wigan Athletic, kick-off 19.30hrs.

7 July 2016
DEFENDER SIGNS
Chester have signed 30-year-old defender Evan Horwood following his release from Northampton Town. He finished last season on loan at Grimsby Town and played against the Blues at Blundell Park in May.

6 July 2016
FIXTURES ARE OUT
Chester will begin the new season with an away game at Gateshead on Saturday 6 August, the two sides met on the final day of last season. The first home game is on the following Tuesday against newly-relegated Dagenham & Redbridge.

• Fixture List | Pre-season friendlies

4 July 2016
GOALKEEPER SIGNS ON LOAN
Walsall goalkeeper Liam Roberts has signed for the Blues on a season-long loan deal. The Walsall born player has made one first team appearance for the Saddlers.

2 July 2016
CHIEF EXECUTIVE ANNOUNCED
The club have appointed Mark Maguire as theirs new chief executive officer. Maguire has plenty of experience having held positions previously as managing director at Stockport County and chief executive at Hull City.

He will have direct responsibility and oversight of all the club’s day-to-day activities, as well as developing and implementing a strategic business plan to grow both the club income and supporter-base and to take the club forward in new and sustainable ways.

Maguire told the Chester Chronicle: “I am thrilled to be joining Chester FC at a very exciting time for the club," said Maguire, who lives in Poynton.”

“With a new manager, chairman and strong board striving to create a platform for the club’s future progression I believe wholeheartedly that there is an opportunity here to demonstrate how a commercially orientated fan owned club can thrive and succeed.”

“I have been blown away by the enthusiasm and commitment of the people I have met and had no hesitation in turning down other opportunities to accept the role. I will give everything I have to create and deliver a strategic vision for the club, the fans and the community.”

PLAYERS BACK IN TRAINING
The players reported back for pre-season training at the end of last week with sessions taking place at the University of Chester’s Parkgate Road campus. The first game of pre-season is away at Sandbach United on Saturday 9 July.

NEW FIXURES
The fixture list for the coming season will be revealed at 13.00hrs on Wednesday 6 July.

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