June 2004 News

30 June 2004
MATCH SWITCH
City’s away fixture against Cheltenham Town on Saturday 9 October looks set to be brought forward 24hrs to the Friday night to avoid a clash with the England v Wales World Cup qualifying match on the Saturday. Both clubs have agreed the change which will need Football League approval.

29 June 2004
FOSTER EXITS DEVA
Striker Ian Foster has been released from the club. Foster, who signed last summer, made 14+10 appearances for the Blues last season scoring 2 goals. He started the season partnering Robert Gill and Darryn Stamp in the forward line but found it difficult to regain his place after he lost it following the return from injury of Daryl Clare. Towards the end of last season Foster had a loan spell at Kidderminster Harriers where he notched 3 goals in 10+1 appearances. Good luck to Ian.

Meanwhile the players reported back for pre-season training yesterday.

24 June 2004
AWAY START FOR CITY
Chester City will begin life back in the Football League with an attractive away fixture on Saturday 7 August against the League’s oldest member, Notts County who were relegated from the old second division last season. The first home game is against another relegated side Wycombe Wanderers on the following Tuesday. The draw for the first round of the Carling Cup will take place on 8 July.

Full fixture list.

LIVERPOOL RESERVES TO LOOK ELSEWHERE

After two years of staging their fixtures, the Deva Stadium will not be hosting Liverpool’s Reserve games next season. The club have stated that Liverpool will have to look elsewhere after they apparently changed their agreement to play City in a pre-season friendly with Chester. To make matters worse the appear to have chosen neighbours Wrexham instead!

“The original reason given to us for the cancellation of the fixture was that Liverpool were contracted to participate in a foreign tour, but yesterday I learnt through a friend in the media that they were to play a friendly at our neighbours Wrexham. That information was the straw that broke the camel’s back.” said chairman Steve Vaughan.

Last season Liverpool paid City £500.00 per game at the Deva with the Blues keeping all gate money on the night, thought they had to pay stewards, turnstile operators and other staff. Vaughan went on to say: “I thought we had an extremely good relationship with Liverpool Football Club, we certainly have bent over backwards to make the relationship work, but I consider this latest episode extremely shabby” Vaughan added.

City’s reserve team will play their midweek games at the Deva next season.

21 June 2004
HEARD RELEASED

Jamie Heard has been released by City. Heard signed for the Blues from Hull City last summer after impressing during the pre-season when he made 4+3 appearances.

Heard made his debut in the opening game of the season at Stevenage Borough and went on to make 28+1 appearances for City last summer and fought for his place after turning down a loan move to Leigh RMI.

Good luck Jamie.

18 June 2004
CITY SIGN STRIKER BELLE
The Blues have signed Merthyr Tydfil striker Cortez Belle, without actually seeing the player in action. Belle joined Merthyr Tydfil in August 2002 and went on to score 39 goals in 86 games for the club. Belle has turned down the chance of moves to Newport County and Weymouth.

Belle told the South Wales Echo: “It’s very surprising given that neither Mark Wright nor his assistant David Moss have seen me play, but they have had good reports about me and they spoke to QPR who recommended me, he said. But it's all about getting your foot in the door. It’s just up to me now and Chester have told me I will have to prove myself at that level, but I am confident I can do so.”

Meanwhile the Blues are waiting to hear from Bradford City regarding another striker, Danny Cadamarteri. City chairman Steve Vaughan faxed an undisclosed offer to the Bantams for the striker on Friday and it waiting to hear news from the administrator in charge at Valley Parade soon.

16 June 2004
NEW COACH JOINS BACKROOM STAFF
Jim Hackett has joined the coaching staff at Deva Stadium. Last season Hackett was manager of Welsh Alliance League Prestatyn Town, who finished third in their league, and joins the Deva Stadium club in a full-time post.

RESERVES JOIN PONTINS LEAGUE
City’s reserve side will compete in the Division One West Pontins League next season. The League, which has increased from 10 to 12 clubs this summer, was won last season by Wigan Athletic reserves. Home games will revert to Deva Stadium from next season.

10 June 2004
LEAGUE GETS REVAMP

The Football League has changed the name of Division One to The Championship for next season. In addition, Divisions Two and Three will be re-titled League One and League Two as part of the rebranding. League chairman Sir Brian Mawhinney said: “The Championship is a term steeped in the history of the League. Reclaiming it for our leading clubs will place a new enhanced emphasis on its status at the pinnacle of our competition.”

Mawhinney added: “Not only is it a gateway to the Premiership, it is one of Europe’s leading league competitions, in terms of the standard of football being played, the high quality of stadia and the numbers of supporters attending.”So promotion for City again!, next season we’ll complete in the Coca-Cola Football League Two.

9 June 2004
MIDFIELDER SIGNS
Chester City have signed 25-year-old midfielder Andy Watson from Farsley Celtic. The Leeds-born player began his career at Doncaster Rovers in 1999 where he made 55+58 appearances scoring 9 goals before moving to Tamworth in September 2003 where he made 7+1 appearances scoring 2 goals. He moved to Farsley in December 2003.

8 June 2004
HOPE FOR CHESTER
York City central defender Richard Hope has signed for City on a two-year deal. The 25-year-old player began his career as a trainee at Blackburn Rovers in 1991 before a loand spell at Darlington six years later wher he played 5+0 times for the Quakers. He moved to Feethams on a permanent deal in 1997 where he totalled 60+3 games scoring 1 goal. In 1998 he played one game on loan at Northampton before moving to Sixfields where he went on to play a further 127+25 times scoring 7 goals. Hope then moved to York City last August and played 39+0 times for the Minster Men, and scoring 2 goals in their relegation season.

7 June 2004
BRADFORD CITY DENY BRANCH MOVE

Bradford City have denied reports that Michael Branch has signed for Chester.

Bantams managing director Shaun Harvey told his club’s website:“I'm quite surprised at the reports. Michael is still registered with Bradford. Chester were given permission to speak with the player, but that does not allow them to sign him.” He added: “We will be speaking with them to see what their view of the situation is.”It’s not quite clear what’s gone on but City chairman Steve Vaughan is hopeful that a deal can still be struck. He said: “The deal is not dead but we have some sorting out to do which involves talking to Bradford, their administrators and the Professional Footballers’ Association.”

4 June 2004
BRANCH SIGNS
City have continued building their side for next season with the signing of striker Michael Branch on a three year contract reports the Daily Post. “It is a huge signing for us as a club to bring in a player of his pedigree. This deal has been made possible by Michael’s agent Dave Shearon, without whose assistance it wouldn't have been possible.” chief executive Dave Burford told today’s paper.

Branch began his career at Everton in 1995 making 17+28 appearances and scoring 3 goals for the Goodison Park side before loan spells at Manchester City 4+0, Birmingham City and Wolverhampton Wanderers where he made 11+0 appearances scoring 4 goals. He made the move to Molyneux permanent in January 2000 when Wolves paid Everton £500,000 for his services. He went on to make a further 56+11 appearances for Wolves, scoring 11 goals before loan spells at Reading 0+2 and Hull City 6+1 with 3 goals in 2002/03. He moved to first division Bradford City in July 2003 and made 30+5 appearancs for the Bantams scoring six goals last season.

FRIENDLY MATCH
City have arranged an attractive home pre-season friendly against Premiership side Blackburn Rovers on Monday 2 August, kick-off 19:45hrs.

3 June 2004
GILROY FAILS TEST

The official Scarborough website reports that winger Keith Gilroy has failed his medical test at Chester. It’s believed the Blues had offered a five figure sum for the highly-rated young striker who has been dogged with injury and played just 11 matches for the Seadogs in the last two years.

With defender Scott Guyett still not having signed his new contract for next season, City are covering themselves. “I’m just waiting for a straight answer – ‘yes’ or ‘no’ from Scott. But he’s still in Australia and I can’t get hold of him. We won’t be held to ransom and I’ve got two centre backs lined up who I’ve been talking to if Scott doesn’t want to stay.” said manager Mark Wright. One player believed to be interesting the club is ex-Huddersfield Town, Kilmarnock and Blackpool defender Sean Hessey.

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