News from Deva Stadium June 2014

30 June 2014
IWELUMO SIGNS FOR BLUES
Chester have signed former Scotland international forward Chris Iwelumo from St Johnstone. Iwelumo comes with a wealth of experience having played over 550 matches in the Football League with Stoke City, Colchester United, Charlton Athletic, Bristol City, Brighton, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Burnley, Scunthorpe United, York City, Oldham Athletic, Notts County and Watford. He has 120 goals in his name and told the official club website: “Chester are a big club and I just want to get going in pre-season and take it from there. The stadium is impressive and I’m looking forward to pulling on the shirt.”

27 June 2014
WOLVES FRIENDLY
Chester have arranged a home friendly against a Wolverhampton Wanderers X1 for Tuesday 5 August, kick-off 19.45hrs.

• Pre-season friendlies

25 June 2014
NEW SIGNINGS
Manager Steve Burr has been busy building his squad this week. Joining Chester are former Hednesfield Town 22-year-old defender John Disney. He was an Irish Under 17 international and has also played for Stockport County and Northwich Victoria. Also joining Chester is Macclesfield Town winger Peter Winn. Before joining The Silkmen, 25-year-old Winn had played at Scunthorpe United and Stevenage Borough. Meanwhile striker Craig Hobson who signed from Guiseley on a short contract towards the end of last season has signed a new deal to keep hiim with the Blues for next season.

23 June 2014
TURNER MOVES ON
On loan Leeds United defender Lewis Turner who picked up three Player of the Year awards last season has been released by the Yorkshire club and has signed for Conference North side Harrogate Town.

20 June 2014
BROWN SIGNS ON
Chesterfield defender Matty Brown who played seven matches on loan at the Blues last season has signed a one-year deal with Chester.

• Summer signings

CHIEF SCOUT LEAVES
Alex Hay the chief scout at the club has left to take up a similar position at League Two side Tranmere Rovers. Manager Steve Burr told the official website: “Alex has done a good job for me reporting on teams and tracking players since I joined and I would like to personally wish him all the best. It’s an opportunity for him to move back into the Football League with his former club and we wish him well.”

FRIENDLY POSTPONED
Vauxhall Motors have announced that their planned pre-season friendly with Chester on 12 July has regrettably been cancelled, no alternative date can be found unfortunately.

• Pre-season friendlies

19 June 2014
YOUTH DUO DEPART
It has been reported that Head of Youth Development Bernard Concannon and Head of Academy Recruitment Mark Howell have both stepped down from their positions at Chester. Both played a major role in forming the current youth set-up at Chester back in 2010.

Howell told the Chester Leader: “We have had four great years setting up the youth section at Chester FC. We have felt these past few months that the board want to do things slightly differently, and believe that now is the right time to leave and concentrate on our work and family.”

“We leave the club with a great set of coaches, staff and great quality players in every age group (U9-U18), as well as half a dozen of last season’s U18 boys returning to Steve Burr for pre-season training. We wish whoever the board choose to succeed us all the very best of luck in the role.”

The board have since issued a statement regarding the Youth set-up on Monday 23 June (see link below).

• Board statement

13 June 2014
REPRIEVE FOR DARTFORD
Dartford have been reinstated into the Football Conference Premier following the expulsion of Salisbury City for failing to pay football creditors and provide a financial bond to the league.

HORAN TO LEAVE CHESTER

George Horan, captain of Chester since the club reformed four years ago is to leave.

The Chester-born defender tweeted “Won’t be signing for Chester next year, time for a change.been a pleasure to captain the side over the last 4 years, had some great times. Big thanks to all Chester fans, staff and volunteers for your support. Wish everyone involved with the club success in the future. COYB.”

Horan signed from Droylsden in 2010 and made a total of 157+2 appearances for the Blues scoring 20 goals.

10 June 2014
TWO MORE SIGNINGS
Chester have completed the signing of two more players. Defender/Midfielder Kingsley James joins from Hereford United. The former Sheffield United and Port Vale player told the club website: “I’m delighted to join Chester Football Club and I can’t wait to get started again for pre-season. When I heard of Chester’s interest there was only one club I wanted to join. The manager you only hear good things about and the crowds and the size of the club is huge. There are some exciting times ahead for us this season.”

Also joining Chester is Hednesford Town winger Wayne Riley. He has previously played for Northwich Victoria and Airbus UK Broughton.

CHESTER REINSTATED TO CONFERENCE PREMIER
The Football Conference have announced this afternoon that Hereford United (1939) Ltd have been expelled from membership of the Football Conference with immediate effect. Chester have now been reinstated into the Football Conference for next season.

The Football Conference has issued the following statement:

"The club has confirmed it will not meet the requirements, to which it previously agreed, set by the Board of the Football Conference Ltd on Friday, 6th June enabling the club to retain its membership.

As the club was advised at the above meeting, the Board has exercised its unanimous decision that should the club fail to fulfil the requirements it would be expelled from the competition and the Company under Article 5.2.

At the Annual General Meeting on 7th June of the Football Conference Ltd, the member clubs agreed to an alternative Constitution for the 2014/15 season, in case of the above eventuality.

Chester FC will now be reprieved from relegation for the the Conference Premier and Hayes & Yeading United FC will be reprieved from relegation from the Conference South.”

8 June 2014
CHESTER KEPT WAITING
Today’s Football Conference AGM agreed to extend the deadline to which both Hereford United, currently under new ownership, and Salisbury City must pay off their football debts until next Thursday when an EGM will be held, both clubs will need confirmation of cleared funds before that deadline otherwise their membership of the Football Conference would be revoked. The original deadline of 17.00hrs on Thursday and a second deadline of 10.00hrs on Saturday both came and went without monies apparently being paid. Chester and Dartford are first and second in line for a reinstatement to the Conference Premier should either Hereford United or Salisbury City have their membership revoked.

7 June 2014
BLUES SIGN WORSNOP
Former goalkeeper Jon Worsnop has rejoined the club from Alfreton Town. The Bradford born ‘keeper made one Conference appearance for Chester City in 2002/03 before joining Aberystwyth Town.

6 June 2014
HEREFORD LATEST
Following a four hour meeting of the Football Conference board today Hereford Uited have been given until 10.00hrs tomorrow morning to pay of all their football creditors if they are to remain in the Conference Premier for next season.

The Football Conference issued the following statement: “The board unanimously agreed that the club (Hereford United) can retain membership of the limited company and their place in the Football Conference Premier Division providing financial payments are secured as directed by the board. Failure to meet the financial conditions imposed, the club’s membership would be revoked.”

CHESTER AWAIT HEREFORD OUTCOME
Chester will be watching events at today’s Football Conference board meeting with great interest as Hereford United appear to be on the brink of expulsion. It is reported that the Bulls have failed to pay outstanding wages and debts to football creditors by last night’s imposed 17.00hrs deadline that they were given on 14 May. Today’s meeting is followed by the Conference AGM tomorrow.

Football Conference general manager Dennis Strudwick told the Hereford Times: “Hereford United must settle their debts with football creditors by 5pm on Thursday – and the club are well aware what they need to do. The club have known this since May 14.

“Hereford United are not a position to call the tune – they must abide by the rules of the competition like the other member clubs in the Football Conference. We will also need a budget which must be compelling and detail that the club will not only meet their requirements for next season but how they will deal with the current debt, including an impending winding-up order from Revenue and Customs.”

“I don’t want to prejudge this matter but, if a club fails to pay off their football creditors, they face being expelled from the competition and that includes the Conference North or South. In my opinion, football creditors are the wages owed to players and staff, other football clubs, the Football Conference, FA and the County FA.”

An expulsion of Hereford United could see Chester, who finished in the last relegation spot reprieved.

4 June 2014
MICKEY FIELDS 1935-2014

Former Chester player, Mickey Fields, has died at the age of 78 after a battle with cancer. The local-born forward made 22 league appearances for the club in the 1950s and was also a prolific goalscorer for the Cheshire County League team. He had the distinction of scoring the only goal of the game when Chester beat Burnley to win the Lancashire Cup in 1957. Mickey was also an enthusiastic supporter of the club and was not only a season ticket holder at the Deva Stadium but also regularly attended away matches.

• Obituary

DEFENDER SIGNS FOR BLUES
Chester have completed their third signing of the summer as England C international centre back Keiran Charnock. The Preston-born 29-year-old defender previously played under Steve Burr when he was manager of Northwich Victoria and has also played for Peterborough United, Accrington Stanley, Torquay United, Fleetwood Town and Macclesfield Town. Last season he played for Stockport County.

Burr said: “I’m delighted to have signed Kieran and know what he is all about. He’s experienced in both league and non-league and I have always kept a good eye on his progress. I look forward to working with him again.”

TRIO LEAVE CHESTER
Paul Linwood and Gareth Seddon have both left Chester, while Jason Jarrett is also expected to depart this week. Linwood had two spells with the Blues making 199 appearances overall, he made 60+7 for Chester FC scoring two goals including the opening goal at Wrexham last season. Seddon signed last summer and made 27+10 appearances, scoring eight goals. Midfielder Jarrett made 29+3 appearances. All three players are believed to be moving to Salford City.

3 June 2014
TAYLOR SIGNS FROM COLWYN BAY
Chester born defender 22--year-old defender Danny Taylor has signed from Colwyn Bay. He was named Player of the season with the Seagulls last season. He has previous Football League experience with Shrewsbury Town before joining Welsh Premier League club Airbus UK Broughton for the 2011/12 season when he played every match. He joined Colwyn Bay in October 2012. Manager Steve Burr told the Chester Chronicle: “We watched Danny last season and he can play either left back or right back and is a talented young player that will do well for us.”

Webmaster |

Back | Top