News from Deva Stadium March 2018

27 March 2018
REDUCED PRICES FOR TORQUAY MATCH
Chester have reduced admission prices for the Good Friday home match with Torquay United, kick-off 15.00hrs. All under-16s will be give free admission to the match, download the form HERE to claim your tickets.

Admission to the Harry McNally Terrace has also been reduced and will be £10.00 for this match. There is also the chance for Under 12’s to pick up a FREE Easter Egg on Friday with the first 250 children under the age of 12 receiving their Easter gift. This is a first come first served basis and all Easter Eggs will be available from the City Fans United Gazebo which will be situated by the ticket office.

22 March 2018
HANNAH JOINS SOUTHPORT ON LOAN
Striker Ross Hannah has joined Southport on loan until the end of the season. The Sandgrounders will pay Hannah’s wages for the rest of the season. Hannah’s first spell at Chester saw him score 26 goals in 44+2 appearances before joining Barrow. He returned from Holker Street in the summer on a two year deal and this season has netted 9 goals in 23+10 appearances.

21 March 2018
HOME DRAW FOR YOUTH
The Youth Team have been drawn at home to Boreham Wood in the semi-finals of the National League Alliance U19 Cup. The game is due to take place on Wednesday 11 April, the kick-off time is yet to be announced. Two of the Academy side, Cain Noble and Matty Thomson, have signed non-contract terms with the first team until the end of the season following a great year that has seen the side win their league as well as reaching the cup semi-final.

Manager Marcus Bignot said: “I went and watched the academy when they won the league against Stockport and if you look at the level of opposition it is nowhere near what they would face at first team level, but they can only play what's in front of them and they are playing at their highest standard possible.”

“Matty Thomson has been training with the first team now for some time and was outstanding today in training and really set an example. And I’ve seen what Cain Noble could do from early doors when I walked into the building and we have kept an eye on him.”

19 March 2018
FIRTH SAVES A POINT FOR BLUES
A series of great saves from goalkeeper Andy Firth enabled Chester to take a point from play-off chasing Aldershot Town on Saturday with a strong defensive performance to frustrate the visitors. The on-loan ‘keeper denied the Shots on several occasions saving superbly from Matt McClure midway through the first half and the same player was denied as half-time approached with Firth pushing his close range shot onto the post and out to safety. Chester, who offered nothing up front, were thankful again to Firth who saved a Shamir Fenelon flick header before denying Manny Oyeleke’s long range effort in added time.

16 March 2018
YOUNG RETURNS IN ADVISORY ROLE
Former manager Neil Young has returned to the club to support manager Marcus Bignot in an advisory role for the remainder of the season. Bignot said: “I sat down a week or so ago and shared with Neil my thoughts and he shared his thoughts with me. We are both clubmen, we are not people who are narrow minded, this is about the football club. We share the same values and the same vision. For me, to have a manager in the building who has been a manager before is critical. Someone who has been in my shoes and who understands what we are going through.”

“I was brought in to get results and now it is about saving the football club. I understand that, I am a clubman and have been there before and built a club - the club is bigger than Marcus Bignot.”

“I have considered my future but I know what this club needs and what is required and if Neil Young never come into the building I probably would have walked away because it would have been an impossible task. The board have gone on record, my hands are tied, my legs are tied and I am pushing water up a hill.”

“Why am I still here? The club is on its knees and me and Neil have been in this situation before and have got the experience. We believe that with the right decisions made we can get this club off its knees. If it doesn’t want to or it can’t then at least we tried. We don’t want to see this club go to the wall. I want to get back where I came from which is a Football League manager. I am sure some fans, as Chester, will harbour those dreams of getting back there.”

The duo’s first job is to prepare for Saturday’s visit of promotion chasing Aldershot Town, kick-off 15.00. The Blues will be looking to do the double over the Hampshire side having won at the Recreation Ground 2-1 back in August with goals from Lucas Dawson and Kingsley James.

15 March 2018
YOUTH TEAM SUCCESS
The Youth Team are through to the semi-finals of the National League Alliance U19 Cup following a 3-0 victory at Romford on Wednesday. They will face either Hastings, Halifax or Boreham Wood on Wednesday 11 April for a place in the final. The Blues opened the scoring in the first half through Murray and sealed victory with two more goals through Cottrell and Hayes late in the match.

13 March 2018
DERBY DEFEAT FOR BLUES
Chester were beaten 2-0 at the Racecourse Ground in Sunday’s televised derby match with Wrexham. The Blues battled well for an hour but in the end the extra experience of the home side proved too much. Chester were without the experience of midfielder Gary Roberts, out through injury, but created chances themselves with jordan Archer seeing a shot go just wide and he also missed the target with a close range header. Chester will feel that both second half goals could have been stopped, on-loan goalkeeper Andy Firth may feel he should have got more than a hand on Scott Quigley’s shot that opened the scoring and Nicky Deverdics added the second having beaten the offside trap.

Supporters from both sides have been praised after the match, the second since the ‘bubble’ restrictions were lifted for the fixture, passed of without any incident.

8 March 2018
DUO LEAVE CLUB
Midfielder’s Liam Davies and Paul Turnbull have both left the club today. Davies has made just 1+1 appearances this season and had his contract mutually terminated, while Turnbull who has played 20+5 times for the Blues since signing from Barrow on a two year deal in the summer, also had his contracted terminated and has joined Stockport County.

7 March 2018
MISTAKES PROVE COSTLY
Despite playing well for much of the game Chester were beaten 2-0 at home by promotion chasing Dover Athletic last night in front of the lowest home league crowd since the club reformed, just 1,182. Manager Marcus Bignot gave a debut in goal to Liverpool loanee Andy Firth while Harry White started up front in preference to Ross Hannah who took a seat on the bench. The Blues had chances in the first half with Dom Vose and Gary Roberts forcing saves from MItch Walker in the Dover Goal and White saw an effort from eight yards out superbly saved by the 'keeper moments before half-time.

Twenty minutes into the second period Chester conceded as poor marking from a corner saw Kevin Lokko head home unchallenged from ten yards out. Seven minutes later the Whites doubled their lead and out the game beyond Chester as Ryan Astles turned an Adebayo Azeez cross into his own net.

Following the game Bignot told the Chester Leader: “We worked it out that the average price of our team, because there is a lot of players in there playing for free and a lot of teenagers, the average wage across the team was £200. For a £200 team we certainly went toe to toe with a play-off team in this league.”

“One of the aspects for us is that we have zero physicality, that is something we have got to bring into the team and it ain’t going to happen overnight. But we are technically a good team and they are technically good players. They are getting there so there are a lot of positives. We are going in the right direction with what we want to do here. You clearly know what Dovers identity is, but what is Chesters?”

“Second half we started slow and we got ourselves back in it in terms of momentum, but to concede the two goals it was disappointing to have conceded off a corner. The game opened up a little bit for the second goal and thats when they got their goal, they got in behind us.”

“The worst thing to defend against is pace. We haven’t got it, let’s be honest. We haven’t got the pace and physicality of Azeez and Daniel, you see their subs coming on and we don’t have those dynamics in the building.”

“You’ve seen what we’re trying to build and bring in. How do we find ways to match that physicality? Recruitment is key and what does a Chester player look like moving forward?”

Chester have the small matter of the derby game with Wrexham coming up pon Sunday, th egame is all-ticket and being screened live on BT Sports, kisk-off 12.00hrs.

• Table after Dover defeat

5 March 2018
NEW DATE
The home game against Bromley will now take place on Tuesday 10 April, kick-off 19.45hrs.

1 March 2018
MATCH OFF
Saturday’s home league game agains Bromley has been postponed due to a frozen pitch. No new date has been announced yet. The Blues are now next in action on Tuesday night with a home game against Dover Athletic, kick-off 19.45hrs.

KEEPER SIGNS ON LOAN
Chester have signed 19-year-old Crewe Alexandra goalkeeper Will Jaaskelainen on a short term loan. The Finnish ‘keeper is the son of Bolton Wanderers legend Jussi Jaaskelainen who played over 500 times for the Trotters.

JOYCE DEPARTS
Midfielder Wade Joyce has left Chester. Joyce was signed by Jon McCarthy in the summer of 2016 and made 20+24 appearances in his time with the Blues, though he hasn’t appeared for the first team since the trip to Eastleigh last November.

HORNBY RECALLED
Goalkeeper Sam Hornby has been recalled by his parent club Port Vale due to injury problems at Vale Park. The 23-year-old has made 13 appearances for Chester and was due to stay until the end of the season.

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