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Chester City
Full name	Chester City Football Club
Nickname(s)	The Seals/The Blues
Founded	1885
Ground	Deva Stadium Chester (Sealand, Flintshire) (Capacity 5,376 (4,170 seated))
Chairman	Vaccant
Manager	Bobby Williamson
League	League Two
2006–07	League Two, 18th
Home colours 　 Away colours

For the Local Government District of Chester, see Chester (district). For the smaller central city area, and principal settlement of this district, see Chester. For other uses of Chester, see Chester (disambiguation) or Chester City (disambiguation)

Chester City Football Club is an English football club from Chester, The club participates in League Two, which is the fourth tier of English football. Chester were originally founded as Chester F.C., however they changed their to Chester City F.C. in 1983. Chester joined the football league in 1931, and have spent most of their history in the lower divisions. Chester won their first League championship in 2004, after they won the Conference.

Chester play their home games at the Saunders Honda Stadium in Chester. One interesting fact is the club offices is actually in Flintshire, and therefore part of Wales. This stadium was formally known as the Deva Stadium, but was renamed the Saunders Honda Stadium, due to a sponsorship deal with the company.

Chester played at Sealand Road until 1990, when they sold their ageing stadium and began a ground-share with Macclesfield Town. Two years later they moved into the new Deva Stadium.

Contents 1 History 2 Colours and crest 2.1 Shirt sponsors and manufacturers 3 New training venue revealed 4 Other teams 5 Oddities 6 Rivals 7 Famous Fans 8 Players 8.1 Current squad 8.2 Out on loan 9 Honours 9.1 Domestic 10 Player Records 11 Former Managers 12 References 13 External links

For more details on this topic, see History of Chester City F.C..

Chester F.C. were founded in 1885 as an amalgamation of Chester Rovers (whose players initially made up virtually all of Chester's side) and Old King's Scholars F.C. and initially played their home games at Faulkner Street.^[1] After a few years of playing only friendly and occasional cup matches, Chester joined the Combination League in 1890.^[1] In 1898 the club moved to The Old Showground, but were forced to leave a year later when the ground was destroyed to make way for housing, leaving the club temporarily disbanded.^[1] In 1901, however, they moved to Whipcord Lane,^[1] again their stay was only brief, as they moved out in 1906. Their new stadium on Sealand Road, called simply The Stadium became their first long-term home and provided them with their first league success, as they won the Combination League in 1909.^[1] In 1910, Chester moved to the Lancashire Combination League and stayed there until after World War I, when they became founder members of the Cheshire County League.^[1] Charlie Hewitt was appointed manager in 1930, and in 1931 he guided Chester City to the Football League, in place of Nelson F.C..^[1]

Throughout the 1930s Chester never finished outside of the top ten in Division Three North.^[1] During this period Chester recorded their biggest win in the FA Cup, beating Fulham F.C. 5–0 in 1933, and in 1936, they recorded their highest league victory; beating York City F.C. 12–0.^[1]

The period also saw Chester win the Welsh Cup for the second time after beating growing rivals Wrexham at Sealand Road in May 1933 and successive Football League Division Three North Cup wins. Unfortunately, the side was to be split up by the outbreak of the Second World War. Although the 1946–47 brought a third place finish and another Welsh Cup triumph, grim times lay ahead. No top half placings would be achieved until the lower divisions were merged in 1958, when Chester were placed in Division Four. They would still have to wait another six years until they finished above halfway in a league table.

Chester's fortunes began to take a turn for the better after the surprise appointment of South African Peter Hauser as manager in 1963. He was to provide an entertaining period for the club, as they challenged for promotion from Division Four. The most memorable campaign was 1964–65, when all five forwards managed 20 goals (a unique achievement) as Chester managed 119 in Football League games alone. Sadly though the club missed the promotion boat, and the following season saw them slip from a near-certain elevation after failing to recover from the broken legs suffered by full-backs Bryn Jones and Ray Jones in the January 1 win over Aldershot.

Apart from missing out on promotion by just a point in 1970–71 the next few years were largely disappointing. Chester kicked off the 1974–75 season as the only Football League team to have never won promotion — they finally broke their duck by finishing fourth in Division Four and pipping Lincoln City to promotion by the narrowest of goal averages. Ken Roberts had the honour of being the first Chester manager to win promotion in the Football League, although much credit went to inspirational coach Brian Green.

That season was perhaps more remembered though for Chester's incredible run to the League Cup semi-finals. After beating Walsall, Blackpool and Bobby Charlton's Preston North End, Chester hosted Football League champions Leeds United in round four. On an incredible night, two goals from John James and one from Trevor Storton gave Chester a 3–0 win that is regarded as one of the greatest shocks in the competition's history. The magic continued in the next round, when Newcastle United were defeated in a home replay to set up a semi–final tie with Aston Villa. Chester once again performed admirably but suffered heartache, as Brian Little's late goal in the second leg at Villa Park sealed a 5–4 win for eventual cup winners Villa.

Chester began to consolidate their position in the Third Division and enjoyed runs to the FA Cup fifth round in both 1976–77 and 1979–80 under Alan Oakes. They achieved their best position since the lower divisions were re-organised in the late 1950s by finishing fifth in 1978, missing out on promotion (in the pre play-off era) by just two points. Chester were also one of just two sides to win the short-lived Debenhams Cup, a competition competed for by the two sides from outside the top two divisions to go furtherest in the FA Cup. They beat Port Vale 4–3 on aggregate in 1977 to win their first English national trophy. Chester also continued their giantkilling exploits by knocking First Division Coventry City out of the League Cup in 1978–79 and Second Division leaders Newcastle United from the FA Cup a year later. The period also saw the emergence of the club's most famous player and record sale, Ian Rush, from the club's youth set-up.

Sadly, after Rush departed in 1980, the goals dried up for Chester and they were back in the basement by 1982. Two years later they finished bottom of the entire Football League but were comfortably re-elected. By this point the club was known as Chester City, having added the suffix in 1983.

Thanks to the signing of Stuart Rimmer, and astute management of Harry McNally, Chester returned to the Third Division in 1986. Three years later they narrowly missed out on a play-off spot as McNally worked miracles on a limited budget, but further bad times lay ahead. In 1990, Chester were moved out of their Sealand Road home and temporarily shared Macclesfield's Moss Rose ground. Despite regularly attracting tiny crowds, Chester defied the odds to avoid relegation from Division Three in both 1990–91 and 1991–92. They returned to the city, the new brand new Deva Stadium, which is now known as the Saunders Honda Stadium in 1992 in the re-named Division Two after restructuring.

Sadly, Chester suffered a landslide relegation in their first season back in Chester, before winning promotion straight back as Division Three runners-up. Unfortunately, the shock resignation of manager Graham Barrow and the departure of several key players in the close-season of 1994 left Chester with a threadbare squad, and they were comfortably relegated back to Division Three in 1995. They would stay there for five years.

The Saunders Honda Stadium is notable for crossing the England-Wales border: while the pitch is in Wales, the main stand and offices are in England.

Amid crippling financial problems under owner Mark Guterman, Chester entered administration in October 1998. Despite their off-field problems, Chester comfortably avoided relegation from the Third Division under Kevin Ratcliffe in 1998–99 and their appeared to be fresh hope when Terry Smith became new owner in July 1999. Unfortunately, American Smith (whose background lay in American football) was to oversee a disastrous period for the club. He became manager after Ratcliffe resigned in August 1999 and managed just four league wins in as many months in charge. Despite improved showings under new boss Ian Atkins, Chester lost their 69-year long Football League status on May 6, 2000 on goal difference after losing to Peterborough United.

The first season in the Nationwide Conference saw Chester finish 8th and enjoy various cup runs, but the campaign was overshadowed by continuing problems under Smith. By the summer of 2001, Chester were in grave danger of going out of business and the appointment of his friend Gordon Hill as manager was deeply unpopular with fans. Fortunately, the arrival of new chairman Stephen Vaughan in September 2001 was to herald a new period in the club' history.

Revived by Vaughan and new manager Mark Wright, Chester avoided relegation in 2002 and qualified for the Conference play-offs a year later. Unfortunately they missed out on promotion by losing a penalty shoot out to Doncaster Rovers.

They began the 2003–04 season as favourites to win the Football Conference. Thanks to the prolific striking duo of Daryl Clare and Darryn Stamp the goals flowed and they had a rock solid defence composing of players such as Scott Guyett and Danny Collins. Despite heavy pressure from Hereford United, Chester held their nerve to clinch the title and their return ticket to the Football League with a 1–0 victory over Scarborough. It was the club's first national league title.

Chester were tipped to win a second successive promotion in 2004–05, but their season was to be a bitter disappointment. Mark Wright resigned the day before the season started, with Ray Mathias in caretaker charge for Chester's 1–1 draw at Notts County. By the end of August, Chester were bottom of the Football League but their fortunes improved under new manager, Ian Rush. Although Rush helped steer City to safety, the bland style of football played in his seven months in charge was not largely appreciated by fans and results became worse as the season wore on.

In April 2005, Keith Curle took over and delighted Chester fans with some entertaining and successful football. Unfortunately, a dreadful run between December 2005 and March 2006 saw Chester fall from fourth to bottom in Football League Two. Mark Wright surprisingly returned to the club and a run of five successive wins late in the season secured another campaign in the Football League. The 2006–07 season was largely forgettable, as Chester (following the loss of key players Roberto Martinez and Jon Walters) slumped into a lower mid-table position in front of dwindling crowds. Wright was sacked on April 29, 2007, being replaced by Scotsman Bobby Williamson.

Williamson's first game in charge ended with Chester winning a friendly 5–3 at AFC Telford United on July 17, 2007. His first Football League match at the helm ended in a goalless draw with Chesterfield the following month. Buoyed by the management of Williamson and influence of new signings such as Paul Butler and Richie Partridge, Chester have made a flying start to the current season and are early promotion contenders.

In December, 2007, Steven Vaughan submitted his surprise resignation from the club, amid questions over the club's ownership. His successor is yet to be announced, and he remains the majority shareholder of the club.

Chester's original colours were red and white, and these colours were used until the club temporarily disbanded in 1899.^[2] The colours were changed to green and white, in 1901 when the club moved to Whipcord Lane.^[2] Various combinations were used until, the outbreak of World War I, these included green shirts and white shorts, green and white stripes ans green and white halves.^[2] In 1919 the colours changed again, with their new dark green shirts earning Chester the nickname the Ivies.^[2] 1920 saw another change of colours, this time to black and white, which earned Chester the nickname Magpies.^[2] Black and White remained the colours until 1930, when they were changed to blue and white stripes.^[2] For the next thirty years the colours remained unchanged, with the exception of the 1952–53 season, when Chester adopted white shirts and black shorts.^[2]

The colours were changed yet again in the 1959–60 season, when it became green shirts and socks with gold trim and white shorts.^[2] 1962 saw Chester revert to blue and white stripes, albeit with a much thinner blue stripe, and blue shorts instead of the previously used black shorts.^[2] The 1968–69 season saw Chester change to an all sky blue kit, which remained for four years.^[2] In the 1972–73 season the club again reverted to blue and white stripes, and in 1974 the seals badge appeared on the kit for the first time.^[2] A shirt sponsorship first appeared on Chester's kit in the 1982–83 season.^[2] The blue and white and seals badge disappeared in the 1983–84 season, as the re -named Chester City F.C. changed to blue shirts and white shorts.^[2] The shirt became predominately blue in the 1988–89 season for the final season at Sealand Road.^[2] The first season at the Deva Stadium saw the colours change a blue shirt with white speckles.^[2] The colours returned to blue and white stripes the following season.^[2] Since 1995, the club has appeared in blue and white stripes of varying thickness and shades.^[2]

In the 1958–59 season the city's coat of arms was augmented onto the shirt.^[2] During the early to mid 1960s, the supporters association badge was used.^[3] From 1974–75 to 1982–83 the club used the seals badge. The design was picked from a competition held by a local newspaper, with the winner coming from the school of art in Handbridge.^[3] The current crest is an adaptation of the City of Chester crest.^[3]

Period	Kit Manufacturer	Shirt Sponsor
1976–83	Umbro	None
1979–82		Barratt
1982–83		OkOK
1983–84	Bukta	Chester Engineering
1984–89	Hobott	None
1986–87		Chester Motor Auctions
1987–1991		Greenall's
1989–92	Ribero
1991–92		Trident Metals
1992–95	En-s	Corbett's
1995–96	Le Coq Sportif
1996–97		Saunder's Honda
1997–98	Errea
1998–2000	Super League
2000–01	Socca	gap
2001–02	Vilma	Red Square
2002–04		Pentagon
2004–05	Prostar	truetone
2005–08	Nike	UK Sameday

Chester City has at last secured new training facilities on a long term deal with Chester Catholic High School. The arrangement will see the first and youth squads together with the Centre of Excellence teams use the venue as their training base. The new venue comes after work by City director Bob Gray and Centre of Excellence Co-ordinator Mark Newman. Club chairman Stephen Vaughan had been looking at a number of other options that would house all City’s teams at one venue but unfortunately none ticked all the right boxes

Chester Catholic High School are currently raising funds for redevelopment and part of this new partnership will see Chester City Football Club helping towards the target figure set by the school, the club have also pledged match day tickets for every home Football League game to be used by the school. Being on one site will also allow new manager Bobby Williamson to learn from being in close proximity to the full time professionals. City’s Centre of Excellence co-ordinator Mark Newman was keen to pass on his thanks to Abbey Gate College, where City’s academy have trained for the past three years.

Chester's reserve team play in the Pontins Holiday League Division One West in 2007–08.

The club's youth set-up is enjoying its most fruitful spell since the late 1990s, with several players graduating to the first-team ranks. The youth team compete in the Youth Alliance North West Conference, while hoping to emulate their achievements in 2006–07 of reaching the FA Youth Cup fourth round, when they surprisingly knocked out Tottenham Hotspur. Younger players also represent the club through the teams fielded by its School of Excellence.

The club has operated a ladies team since 1994, having reasonable amounts of success [1] and also has supporters' teams representing it against fans of other clubs.

• Chester became one of the few professional sides in FA Cup history to be reinstated into the competition in 2006-07. They were beaten 3-1 in a second round replay by Bury but progressed after Bury were thrown out for fielding an ineligible player Stephen Turnbull. Chester duly made the most of their unlikely progression, taking Championship side Ipswich Town to a replay and only losing to a late goal.

• Anyone who followed Chester through the 1990s must have had a pretty good idea how their FA Cup campaigns were going to pan out. In 1990-91 they were knocked out in round three, starting a pattern of eliminations (lasting until 1999-2000) that read 3-2-1-3-2-1-3-2-1-3. The pattern seemed set to continue when Chester trailed 2-0 to Oxford United in the second round in 2000-01 but they produced a storming fightback to win 3-2 and progress into round three.

• A League Cup tie between Chester and Plymouth Argyle at Sealand Road in September 1981 was abandoned late in the game with the score at 2-2 after the goalposts collapsed when Chester goalkeeper Grenville Millington collided with them. The sides were forced to replay the game at Sealand Road a week later and drew again, before Plymouth won the second-leg. To add to the farcical nature of the tie, it was supposed to be a regionalised draw!

• Darlington are the side Chester have met most in Football League matches. The 1-1 draw between the sides at the Deva Stadium in April 2007 was the 100th league clash. Darlington were the first side to beat Chester in a Football League fixture, back in September 1931.

• Chester failed to score on the opening day of the season in six successive campaigns from 1998-99 to 2003-04. The run was only broken thanks to a late equaliser at Notts County as 2004-05 got under way.

Chester have a long-running rivalry with Wrexham. The clubs are just 12 miles apart but are English and Welsh respectively. Wrexham just edging the English-Welsh derby with 29 victories against Chester's 26.

Tranmere Rovers and Crewe Alexandra were traditionally strong rivals but Chester have not met either in a league game since the early 1990s. In recent times, a strong level of dislike has developed between Chester and Shrewsbury Town, following a series of controversial meetings. In November 2006, a large brawl broke out between players of both sides at the end of Chester's 2-1 defeat at Gay Meadow.

Chester has one of the smallest hardcore fanbases in the Football League, as they struggle to attract more than 2,500 fans to most home games. As a result, it is perhaps little surprise that the club has few celebrities attached to it, although several well-known individuals have expressed affection for it.

The best-known Chester fan is the actor Hugh Lloyd, who has retained a loyal support for the club despite his advancing years and being exiled in the south. Similarly, BBC sport reporters Charles Lambert and Jonathan Legard are lifelong fans who have continued to follow the club despite regularly coming into contact with sport's elite.

Martin Tyler of Sky Sports and Mike Parry of TalkSport both often watched Chester in their youth but now predominantly support Woking and Everton respectively. The Granada news presenter Lucy Meacock has also been seen at Chester matches in the recent past, however is a Liverpool fan. While the comedian Russ Abbott has said he followed Chester as a youngster.

Another comedian, Mick Miller, guested for Chester in a Granada football quiz show in the early 1990s but is not known to have any other connection to the club.

As of 26 August 2007.

No. Position Player 1 GK Gavin Ward 2 DF Simon Marples 3 DF Kevin Sandwith 4 MF Tony Dinning 5 DF Phil Bolland 6 DF Paul Butler 7 MF Richie Partridge 8 FW Simon Yeo 9 FW John Murphy 10 FW Nathan Lowndes 11 MF Kevin Ellison 12 GK John Danby 14 MF Mark Hughes

No. Position Player 17 MF Laurence Wilson 18 DF Ashley Westwood 19 DF Paul Linwood 20 FW Chris Holroyd 21 FW Paul Rutherford 22 DF James Vaughan 24 MF Neil Carroll 25 DF Kevin Roberts 30 MF Tony Grant 31 MF Adam Walker 32 FW Paul McManus 33 MF Glenn Rule

No. Position Player 15 DF Robert Marsh-Evans (on loan to Vauxhall Motors) 16 MF Dean Bennett (on loan to Kidderminster Harriers) 26 DF Sean Newton (on loan to Southport) 23 GK Phillip Palethorpe (on loan to Tamworth) 27 DF Shaun Kelly (on loan to Vauxhall Motors)

• Football League Division 3 North

Runners-up (1): 1935–36

• Football League Division 3 (now League 2)

Runners-up (1): 1993–94

• Football League Division 4 (now League 2)

Runners-up (1): 1985–86

• Football Conference (now Blue Square Premier)

Winners (1): 2003–04

• Cheshire County League

Winners (3): 1921–22, 1925–26, 1926–27

Runners-up (1): 1930–31

• The Combination

Winners (1): 1908–09

Runners-up (5): 1903–04, 1904–05, 1905–06, 1906–07, 1907–08

• Welsh Cup

Winners (3): 1908, 1933, 1947

Runners-up (10): 1909, 1910, 1935, 1936, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1958, 1966, 1970

• Debenhams Cup

Winners (1): 1977

• Division 3N Cup

Winners (2): 1936, 1937

Runners-up (1): 1946

• Bob Lord Trophy

Winners (1): 2001

• Conference Championship Shield

Runners-up (1): 2001–02

• Most league goals in a season - 36 Dick Yates (1946–47)
• Most league goals in total - 135 Stuart Rimmer (1985–88, 1991–98)
• Most league appearances - 406 Ray Gill (1951–62}
• Record Signing - £100,000 Gregg Blundell (2005)
• Record Sale - £300,000 Ian Rush (1980)
• Oldest league appearance - 40 yrs, 101 days Stan Pearson (April 1959)
• Youngest league appearance - 15 yrs, 350 days Aidan Newhouse (May 1988)
• Most capped player - 35 Angus Eve, Trinidad & Tobago; (home nations) - 13 Billy Lewis, Wales

• Charlie Hewitt 1930–36
• Harry Mansley 1936 (caretaker)
• Alex Raisbeck 1936–38
• Frank Brown 1938–53
• Louis Page 1953–56
• John Harris 1956–59
• Stan Pearson 1959–61
• Bill Lambton 1962–63
• Peter Hauser 1963–1968
• Ken Roberts 1968–76
• Alan Oakes 1976–82
• Cliff Sear 1982 (caretaker 1984)
• John Sainty 1982–83
• Trevor Storton 1983–84 (caretaker)
• John McGrath 1984
• Mick Speight 1984–85
• Harry McNally 1985–92
• Graham Barrow 1992–94 & 2000–01
• Mike Pejic 1994–95
• Derek Mann 1995
• Kevin Ratcliffe 1995–99
• Terry Smith 1999–2000
• Ian Atkins 2000
• Gordon Hill 2001
• Dean Spink, Owen Brown and Andy Porter 2001–02 (caretakers)
• Steve Mungall 2001
• Mark Wright 2002–04 & 2006–07
• Ray Mathias 2004 (caretaker)
• Ian Rush 2004–05
• Dave Bell 2005 (caretaker)
• Keith Curle 2005-06
• Simon Davies 2007 (caretaker)
• Bobby Williamson 2007–Date (current)

• Official site
• Unofficial site

• Chester City F.C. on BBC Sport: Club News - Recent results - Upcoming fixtures - Club stats
• Deva Chat - Fans Forum
• Chester City Exiles supporters club
• Blues Mad

Chester City Football Club v • d • e
Club: Chester City F.C. | Players | Managers | History Grounds: Sealand Road | Deva Stadium
Football League Two 2007–08 v • d • e
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