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NEWS FROM DEVA STADIUM 2008
January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December | 2007 News | Archive News
JUNE
26 June 2008
FIXTURE CHANGE

The home fixture against Port Vale has been changed and will now take place at 12:00 on Sunday 19 October. This will mean two games in three days for City who must travel to Rochdale the following Tuesday.
ACCRINGTON PAIR SIGN
Chester have given two year deals to Accrington Stanley midfielders Jay Harris and David Mannix. Both are Liverpudlians, Harris, 21, started his career at Everton and 22-year-old Mannix began at the Liverpool Academy.

SEASON TICKETS
Supporters have just four more days now to take advantage of the second level season ticket offer equivalent to five free games.

Ticket details


25 June 2008
SQUAD BUILDING CONTINUES

Following a meeting between the club and officials from the Football League it’s being reported that the transfer embargo placed by the PFA is not recognised by the League and City are able to deal in the transfer market as they rebuild their squad for the forthcoming season. City owner Steve Vaughan told the Liverpool Daily Post: “We had a very frank and open discussion, and the League’s officials were receptive of our stance.

“It has been extremely well documented that we have a dispute with two of our players, Tony Dinning and Paul Butler, our stance is that they have acted outside the remit of their contracts, and the situation is in the hands of our legal people.

“Unlike a lot of clubs we don’t have any footballing debtors, the players we have released are to be paid in full on the due dates, and the loan from the PFA which was received following my resignation as a director is to be paid from our basic award payment from the League, as previously agreed. We have been told that we are not embargoed as was stated by the PFA, and as such we are free to bring in players within the current wage capping rules that apply to all clubs in our division.”
23 June 2008
VAUGHAN HITS BACK AT PFA

Club owner Steve Vaughan has hit back following the statement by the PFA of Friday that stated the majority of players were receiving late payment. He said:

“I am extremely angry about this article and I am determined to find out why it was written and who authorised it. We are in dispute with Tony Dinning and Paul Butler who we consider have acted in a way that is outside the remit of their contracts. This is what has possibly prompted the article. All the parties involved are aware that the matter is in the hands of our solicitors, who are dealing with the issues.”

“However, I think it is extremely disingenuous of the PFA to highlight this case on a public website and insinuate that all of our players have not been paid, which is totally untrue.We will be seeking an urgent meeting with the PFA and ask them for an explanation of why they see fit to place this information into the public arena.”
21 June 2008
TRANSFER EMBARGO PLACED ON CITY

A transfer embargo has been placed on Chester following action from the Professional Footballers Association (PFA).

A statement on the PFA website staded that: “The majority of the players currently at the club have not received any payment for two months, or more. The PFA have, therefore, advised the Football League of the monies outstanding to the players, and the Football League has applied Regulation 46.1 and placed an embargo upon the transfer of any registration by the club until such times as the payments due to the current playing staff are made.”

The club hae been quick to respond with a statement from managing director Bob Gray this morning, he said: “All the current players who are contracted for next season have been paid up to date. It has been widely publicised that we are in dispute with Paul Butler and Tony Dinning and we have made arrangements to meet officials of the Football League to sort out this shambles.”

“I think it is shabby that the PFA have seen fit to release a statement on their website, when they are in full possession of the details of our proposed meeting. We have taken legal advice and we shall vigorously defend our stance in the Butler/Dinning dispute.”

PFA statement

19 June 2008
BARRY SIGNS FOR BLUES

The club have made their first signing of the summer as 22-year-old midfielder Anthony Barry joins from Yeovil Town. The Liverpool born player began his career as a trainee at Everton before moving to Coventry City three years ago. He moved from there to Accrington Stanley in 2005 where he made 26+0 appearances (no goals) before his final move in January 2006 took him to Huish Park where he scored one goal in 52+22 outings. Barry has been given a two year deal by City.

The new signing told the Chester Chronicle: “I started out at Everton youth where I knew Laurence Wilson and I moved to Liverpool where I got to know Richie Partridge, I grew up as a boy playing football with Stephen Vaughan Jnr and James Vaughan. My career has taken me to Coventry and Yeovil and I wanted to come home and see my family a bit more, it all contributed. But now, with the staff here and the plans the manager has, I would expect us to be making a serious challenge in the league next season. That is my main aim.”

FRUSTRATED DAVIES WAITS ON TAYLOR
Chester manager Simon Davies has expressed his frustration as the on-going talks with Vauxhall Motors frontman Paul Taylor and his agent drag on. The two clubs have agreed a transfer fee but the player has yet to agree personal terms. Davies has laid the blame on lack of progress with the agent, he told the Evening Leader:

“The talks with Paul Taylor’s agent have been frustrating. People say that no news is good news, but I’m not so sure in this case. The longer we talk the more I think the Paul Taylor deal won’t happen. The agent is making progress very difficult and that has been frustrating because I feel signing Paul would be good for Vauxhall Motors, good for Chester City, and good for the player.”

“But if we don’t manage to sign him I won’t be too alarmed. We’ve still got a big centre forward in John Murphy and I’m confident in both Chris Holroyd and Paul McManus doing well when the new season kicks off.”

16 June 2008
AWAY START FOR CITY

Chester will kick-off the 2008/09 season with an away trip on 9 August to Dagenham & Redbridge, this is followed, after the Carling Cup tie with Leeds, by a home fixture the following Saturday against Wycombe Wanderers.

2008/09 fixtures


LEEDS GAME TO BE TELEVISED
The club have announced that the Carling Cup tie with Leeds United will be televised live by SKY TV. The game is scheduled to take place at Deva Stadium on Tuesday 12 August.

Chester owner Steve Vaughan said: “It’s great news for us, not just because of the financial bonus it brings to the club, but it will also give our young squad of players the opportunity to be seen on a much larger stage. There is a lot of kudos in the tie itself, but it's nice to be rewarded with a £50,000 cash windfall so early in the season. The tie will provide our club with an opportunity to demonstrate how well they can play against a team that just missed out on promotion to the Championship after reaching the play-offs.”

13 June 2008
CARLING CUP DRAW

Chester have been given a home draw against League One side Leeds United in the first round of the Carling Cup. The game is scheduled to take place in the week commencing 11 August. The will be the first visit of Leeds to Deva Stadium.

The sides last met at the same stage of the competition two season ago with the Yorkshire side winning 1-0 at Elland Road thanks to an Eirik Bakke goal.

ELLISON SET FOR COUNTY MOVE
The club have accepted an offer from Stockport County for 29-year-old midfielder Kevin Ellison. Ellison nearly made the move to the Edgeley Park side last January but he now looks set to join the newly promoted outfit. Ellison now needs to agree personal terms before moving.

He has played for County previously between 2001-04. Ellison, who has had two spells with City, was the top scorer last season with 11 goals. In total he has made 69+0 appearances for the Blues, scoring on 22 occasions.

Chester owner Steve Vaughan said: “We’ve had an offer from Stockport County for Kevin Ellison and, as we’ve said on previous occasions, we never stand in a player’s way if they can move to a club in a higher division.”

12 June 2008
CHESTER LOOKING TO SIGN DUO

The Blues have announced that they’ve offered two year deals to Bradford City’s Eddie Johnson and Yeovil’s Anthony Barry.

Forward Johnson is Chester born and has scored 8 goals in 54+17 appearances for the Bantams. He started his career as a trainee at Manchester United and had loan spells at Coventry City and Crewe Alexandra before joining Bradford City two years ago. Liverpudlian Barry joined Yeovil Town from Accrington Stanley in January 2006 and has scored once in 55+22 appearances for the Huish Park outfit since.

Chester owner Stephen Vaughan said: “We’ve offered them both terms and it is the best we can put forward. Hopefully they’ll accept.”


Meanwhile talks are continuing with the agent of Vauxhall Motors striker Paul Taylor.

10 June 2008
FRIENDLY DOUBT

The club have still not received police authority to stage their pre-season match against Liverpool on 12 July. The date picked, the only one their opponents could make, clashes with Chester races and the local police say that both events taking place at the same time would leave their resources stretched.

The club announced the lucrative friendly last week before they had been given the all-clear. Club managing director Bob Gray said: “All we want to do is bring decent pre-season friendlies to the football club. People will say ‘why didn’t you realise there was a race meeting on?’ Well, you don’t look at that scenario for pre-season friendlies. I can’t see there being any trouble between Chester and Liverpool supporters.”

He added: “The situation is that the police are stretched and the police feel that the city would be too congested if we staged a football match and a race meeting. All I can do is go back to the police and say ‘if we have a 12 noon kick off and put a 3,500 gate on it, would you look at the situation and give us a straightforward answer?’ That’s the next step.”

A spokesman for Cheshire Police told the Chester Chronicle: “At this stage, no decision has been taken as to whether the Chester v Liverpool game will go ahead.”

“Unfortunately, the game as played on July 12 would coincide with the biggest meeting of the year at Chester Races. We have to consider the safety of all concerned – those attending the races, the football match and people in the city centre.”

“As such, it is with regret that we have asked Chester City not to arrange the fixture for July 12. Cheshire Police and Trading Standards are still in the process of liaising with both Chester City and Liverpool and hope that a compromise can be found which will benefit all concerned.”

Pre-season fixtures

5 June 2008
LOOKING BACK ON 2007/08

Take a look back at the ups and downs of last season through the photographs of the Evening Leader’s Rick Matthews.

2007/08 Season in photographs

LIVERPOOL FRIENDLY ANNOUNCED
Chester are set to open their pre-season campaign with a home game against Liverpool on Saturday 12 July, kick-off 15:00hrs. The game is subject to Police approval.

Blues manager Simon Davies said: “Liverpool don’t have any other fixtures on that day so we’re hoping for a fair turnout from their first team.
It’s going to be a great day for the fans – and a great challenge for the players as well. We’ve spoken to a lot of big clubs about friendlies and credit to Liverpool for taking us up on the offer.”

Pre-season fixtures

3 June 2008
STRIKER PRIORITY FOR DAVIES

Manager Simon Davies is keeping up his search for a striker to partner John Murphy next season. The club have been linked with Paul Taylor from Vauxhall Motors and Forest Green�s Stuart Fleetwood over the last week and talks with players and agents are still taking place. “I’ve spoken to Stuart Fleetwood’s agent, but he’s getting a lot of interest from leagues above ours so it looks unlikely at the moment, unless they weren’t to sort things out. We’ve registered a lot of interest, because he’s a good player, but it’s out of our hands when it comes to bigger clubs coming in.” said the Blues manager.

Davies has also hinted that loan signings could feature next season as he looks for a handful of players to supplement the existing squad. A goalkeeper, central midfielders and a central defender are on Davies’ shopping list. He said: “We’re in no major rush, we’ve got a good squad of players and we just need to get two, three or four players around it.”
CARLING CUP
The draw for the first round of the Carling Cup will take place on 10:00hrs on Friday 13 June. The first round matches are to be played in the week commencing 11 August.

2 June 2008
LAST DAY FOR EARLY BIRD OFFER

The club ticket office will be open today between 10:00-16:00hrs for supporters who wish to take advantage of the Early Bird season ticket offer.

This is the last day of the offer which is equivalent to five free games and free car park pass. This can realise a saving of up to £125.00 (Car park pass not available for under 16s).


Vaughan East Stand, Liversage West Stand and Harry McNally Terrace

Adult £270.00 Concession* and Under 16 £180.00

*Concessions are pensioners at state pension age and full time Students (on production of a valid NUS card).


Season Ticket and Matchday prices 2008/09

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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