News from Deva Stadium July 2018

27 July 2018
THREE MORE SIGN
Chester have made three more signings ahead of their last pre-season friendly against Everton U23 side on Saturday. Striker Anthony Dudley has joined on a season long loan from Salford City as has defender Danny Livesey on the same deal. Dudley, 21, netted 11 goals in 40 appearances for the Ammies last season while the experienced Livesey, 33, has made over 250 appearances for Carlisle United in the Football League. The Blues have also signed 19-year-old goalkeeper Theo Roberts after he was released by Wigan Athletic. He is expected to be loaned out to gain match experience.

25 July 2018
BATTLING BLUES EARN DRAW
Chester twice came from behind to earn a 2-2 draw in an entertaining hard-fought friendly against Morecambe. John Pritchard missed an early penalty for the Blues just before Andrew Fleming opened the scoring for Morecambe minutes later. They weren’t ahead for long as Steve Howson powerful header drew Chester level. A foul by Howson on former Blue Kevin Ellison eight minutes from time saw Morecambe restore the lead from the penalty spot but with two minutes remaining Gary Roberts slammed home another penalty, this one for a foul on Matty Hughes, to draw Chester level.

Picture © Rick Matthews (Chester Leader)

23 July 2018
DEFEAT FOR BLUES AGAINST BURY
Chester were beaten 1-0 by Bury in their latest pre-season friendly on Saturday. The only goal of the game came for The Shakers from Gold Omotayo four minutes into the second half.

21 July 2018
VICTORY FOR YOUNG BLUES SIDE
A youthful Chester FC rand our 4-0 winners at Llandudno last night. All the goals came in the second half, on the scoresheet for the Blues were an unnamed trialist, Nathan Brown, Alex Downes and Cain Noble.

20 July 2018
BLUES SIGN TWO
Chester have completed two more signings this week. Midfielder George Green has joined from Nuneaton Borough on a one year deal. The former Everton player has since played for Burnley, Oldham Athletic and Ossett Albion.

Joint manager Anthony Johnson told the local press: “We’ve got one hell of a player on our hands and I can’t tell you how excited we are to have him on board.”

“It’s brilliant we’ve got George on board. It’s the first time myself and Bernard have been able to sign him, rather than get him on-loan. When he left Everton, he went to play local league football and Bernard went over to meet him and his family when he was at Ossett Albion but he went to Burnley instead. Fair enough really! He’s a great kid who has been through a lot of problems. It doesn’t bear thinking about what George has been through, but the important thing now is he’s settled and is focused on his football.”

“He knows he’s got the ability. It’s not arrogance, but he’s confident because he knows what a naturally-gifted footballer he is. His character impresses us too. We’ve had to pay a small fee to Nuneaton, but he has come here on less wages than he was on at Nuneaton, so it shows he’s got the drive to want to do it.”

“We’ve got a player who has played top level football and knows 50-60 per cent of our lads already. We just need to make sure he’s mentally ready and of course, get his fitness levels up as he’s had no pre-season.”

Defender Simon Grand has joined from AFC Fylde also on a one year deal. The experienced 34-year-old has played for Rochdale, Carlisle United, Northwich Victoria, Southport, Telford United and Barrow previously and has also played under managers Anthony Johnson and bernard Morley at Salford United where he scored nine goals in 43 appearances two seasons ago.

12 July 2018
ARCHER JOINS BURY
Forward Jordan Archer has joined League Two side Bury for an undisclosed fee, the 24-year-old had signed a two year deal with The Shakers, and Chester also have a sell-on clause with the deal. Archer signed for Chester in October from Stourbridge and made 12+9 appearances scoring four goals.

Joint manager Anthony Johnson said: “Financially it is a good deal for the football club and there is a sell on clause which could prove really beneficial if he goes there and does well. It is also good for Jordan as he gets to realise an ambition of playing in the Football League. It leaves us with an issue, though, as we have no strikers at the football club. We’re working hard on that but we won’t be signing people because we feel we have to, we will be making sure that we sign the right people.”

BURTON NAMED AS CAPTAIN
Midfielder Scott Burton had been named captain for the coming season.

Announcing the decision joint manager Anthony Johnson said: “Scott will be our captain this season but with characters like Gary Roberts, characters like Steve Howson, characters like Grant Shenton and Gary Stopforth, he would be the same player if he didn’t have the captain’s armband on.”

“He’s proud. One of the reasons he wanted to come to the club was the fact he was going to be captain of this football club. There’s no big fanfare and it isn’t an issue to anybody, but he will be a very proud player with the armband on.”

11 July 2018
FIRST WIN
A second half penalty from John Pritchard gave Chester their first win of pre-season when they beat Ramsbottom United 1-0 last night in a game of few chances. The Blues were awarded the spot kick on 62 minutes following a foul on Gary Stopworth. The Blues were awarded another penalty eight minutes later following a foul on Matty Hughes but Pritchard blasted that effort over the bar. Managers Anthony Johnson and Bernard Morley played four trialist's during the 90 minutes.

Chester: Shenton (Trialist 76), Smalley (Thomson 72), Howson (Moran 72), Trialist A, Pritchard (Downes 73), Burton (Noble 63), Stopforth (Brown 63), Roberts (Mahon 56), Mooney (Hellawell 72), Trialist B (Murray 56), Trialist C (Hughes 56).

Picture © Rick Matthews (Chester Leader)

Chester are next in action on Saturday with a game at Runcorn Linnets, kick-off 15.00hrs.

7 July 2018
REDS PROVE TOO STRONG
Chester began their pre-season with a 7-0 home defeat to a strong Liverpool side on Saturday. Despite the World Cup distraction a bumper crowd of 4,396 turned up to see the first game under the management duo of Anthony John and Bernard Morley. Two goals from Harry Wilson gave the Reds a half time lead, and further goals from James Milner, Daniel Sturridge (2), Danny Ings and Ryan Kent completed the scoring on a hot afternoon.

Picture © Rick Matthews (Chester Leader)

4 July 2018
FIXTURES RELEASED
Chester begin the new season in the National League North with a home match against Spennymoor Town on Saturday 4 August, this is quickly followed on Monday 6th with an away trip to Curzon Ashton.

• Full fixture list

HANNAH AND JAMES LEAVE BLUES
Both Ross Hannah and Kingsley James have left Chester. The two agreed to cancel their existing contracts at Chester. Both have had two spells at Chester, striker Hannah scored 35 goals in 67+12 appearances, while midfielder James scored 5 goals in 78+3 appearances.

3 July 2018
MIDFIELDER SIGNS
Chester have completed the signing of 31-year-old midfielder Gary Stopforth from Colne. He began his career at Blackburn Rovers and has since played for Rambsbottom United, Stockport County and Salford City.

LIVERPOOL SELL-OUT
The home pre-season friendly against Liverpool on Saturday has completely sold out. The match has a 15.00hrs kick-off and despite England playing their World Cup quarter final at the same time, there are no plans at the moment to move the kick-off time.

Friendly fixtures

Jul 7

Liverpool

(H)

15.00hrs SOLD OUT

Jul 10

Ramsbottom United

(A)

19.45hrs

Jul 14

Runcorn Linnets

(A)

15.00hrs

Jul 18

Blacon Youth

(A)

19.00hrs

Jul 20

Llandudno

(A)

19.30hrs

Jul 21

Bury

(H)

15.00hrs

Jul 24

Morecambe

(H)

19.45hrs

Jul 28

Everton U23

(H)

15.00hrs

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