Chester City v Forest Green

[surrey jim]

BBC Sport - Football - Chester City squad refuse to play at Forest Green

Postponed as players refused to play. Now without wages in 3 months, cant say I blame them tbh. Club also may be wound up over an unpaid £25,025 tax bill, peanuts compared to most Premier league players weekly income. Shows how wide the divide is.

 

[Steve Foster]

A friend of mine is a Chester fan. Wasn't that long ago that BHA V Chester was a regular fixture & my mate looks at us & thinks that we have it good!!
It makes you appreciate what we have.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Chester has been struggling for ages and sounds like it will fold imminently unless someone is prepared to buy it and its debts.

Chester City FC: Captain Tim Ryan denies talk of Grays Athletic match strike - Chester Chronicle

Chester City FC: Captain Tim Ryan denies talk of Grays Athletic match strike
Feb 4 2010 Chester Chronicle

CAPTAIN Tim Ryan has denied Chester’s players went on strike over their unpaid wages – the truth is they could not afford the petrol to get into work.

It was widely reported that the members of City’s small squad would have refused to play in last Saturday’s match against Grays Athletic had they not been given a small amount of what they are owed.

Cash-strapped Chester stumped up a week’s worth of wages to their employees – who have gone without pay for three months – and pledged that more cash would be coming their way by the end of this week.

The money allowed the players to fill-up their cars – with empty tanks the only factor that would have prevented them from playing, according to skipper Ryan.

“There were rumours coming out saying that the lads were going to strike, but it was nothing to do with that,” said Doncaster-based Ryan. “All it was to do with was that the lads couldn’t physically get in.

“Everyone still playing for Chester City will go out there and give it 100% for the club, but at the end of the day if you can’t physically afford to get in, it’s one of them. The fact is the lads didn’t have enough to do the home life and also put petrol in the car.

“So the money helped. I’m travelling quite a distance, the Liverpool lads travel over an hour, and to go quite a long time without money hits everyone in the pocket.”

Ryan was scheduled to complete his two-match suspension against Grays but the game was called off because of a frozen pitch. That means he will have to sit out the visit of Ebbsfleet United to the Deva Stadium on Saturday (3pm).

Like every other match they will play until the end of the season, the rock-bottom Blues will be firm underdogs for the clash. But Ryan is promising the club’s ever-dwindling fanbase his young colleagues will be giving it everything they’ve got.

“I’ve spoke to a lot of people in football and they all agree you cannot point the finger at our players,” said 35-year-old Ryan.

“We’re losing games because we’ve got such a young side and we’re bedding players in who might not be ready. But after every single match you can’t say to any of us that we’re not giving it our all.”

Morell Maison, Chester’s director of football, is resigned to losing the services of the versatile Rhys Meynell, while it is understood another player with considerable first-team experience is looking to leave.

City – who remain up for sale for £1, and who have until March 10 to avoid being wound-up – were reported to have met the footballing authorities yesterday to discuss the club’s present plight.

But officials from the FA and the Football Conference told The Chronicle they knew of no such meeting.

The Blues are away to Forest Green Rovers on Tuesday (7.45pm).

But then....
Chester City FC: Tonights match at Forest Green Rovers postponed as Blues slip further into crisis - Chester Chronicle

Chester City FC: Tonight’s match at Forest Green Rovers postponed as Blues slip further into crisis
Feb 9 2010 Chester Chronicle

CHESTER City’s Blue Square Premier match at Forest Green Rovers tonight has been called off at two hours’ notice.

Officials at Forest Green have been told the match has been called off at Chester’s request.

The Chronicle understands that the Blues’ cash problems are behind the late decision.

The team coach made a delayed departure from the Deva Stadium at 4.45pm – barely enough time to complete the three-hour journey to the New Lawn in time for kick-off.

It is understood the coach driver refused to leave until the company he works for was guaranteed payment from Chester.

The officials supporters’ coach, which had been waiting alongside the players’ bus, chose not to leave the Deva Stadium.

 

[DerbyGull]

Chester has been struggling for ages and sounds like it will fold imminently unless someone is prepared to buy it and its debts.

Chester City FC: Captain Tim Ryan denies talk of Grays Athletic match strike - Chester Chronicle

Chester City FC: Captain Tim Ryan denies talk of Grays Athletic match strike
Feb 4 2010 Chester Chronicle

CAPTAIN Tim Ryan has denied Chester’s players went on strike over their unpaid wages – the truth is they could not afford the petrol to get into work.

It was widely reported that the members of City’s small squad would have refused to play in last Saturday’s match against Grays Athletic had they not been given a small amount of what they are owed.

Cash-strapped Chester stumped up a week’s worth of wages to their employees – who have gone without pay for three months – and pledged that more cash would be coming their way by the end of this week.

The money allowed the players to fill-up their cars – with empty tanks the only factor that would have prevented them from playing, according to skipper Ryan.

“There were rumours coming out saying that the lads were going to strike, but it was nothing to do with that,” said Doncaster-based Ryan. “All it was to do with was that the lads couldn’t physically get in.

“Everyone still playing for Chester City will go out there and give it 100% for the club, but at the end of the day if you can’t physically afford to get in, it’s one of them. The fact is the lads didn’t have enough to do the home life and also put petrol in the car.

“So the money helped. I’m travelling quite a distance, the Liverpool lads travel over an hour, and to go quite a long time without money hits everyone in the pocket.”

Ryan was scheduled to complete his two-match suspension against Grays but the game was called off because of a frozen pitch. That means he will have to sit out the visit of Ebbsfleet United to the Deva Stadium on Saturday (3pm).

Like every other match they will play until the end of the season, the rock-bottom Blues will be firm underdogs for the clash. But Ryan is promising the club’s ever-dwindling fanbase his young colleagues will be giving it everything they’ve got.

“I’ve spoke to a lot of people in football and they all agree you cannot point the finger at our players,” said 35-year-old Ryan.

“We’re losing games because we’ve got such a young side and we’re bedding players in who might not be ready. But after every single match you can’t say to any of us that we’re not giving it our all.”

Morell Maison, Chester’s director of football, is resigned to losing the services of the versatile Rhys Meynell, while it is understood another player with considerable first-team experience is looking to leave.

City – who remain up for sale for £1, and who have until March 10 to avoid being wound-up – were reported to have met the footballing authorities yesterday to discuss the club’s present plight.

But officials from the FA and the Football Conference told The Chronicle they knew of no such meeting.

The Blues are away to Forest Green Rovers on Tuesday (7.45pm).

But then....
Chester City FC: Tonights match at Forest Green Rovers postponed as Blues slip further into crisis - Chester Chronicle

Chester City FC: Tonight’s match at Forest Green Rovers postponed as Blues slip further into crisis
Feb 9 2010 Chester Chronicle

CHESTER City’s Blue Square Premier match at Forest Green Rovers tonight has been called off at two hours’ notice.

Officials at Forest Green have been told the match has been called off at Chester’s request.

The Chronicle understands that the Blues’ cash problems are behind the late decision.

The team coach made a delayed departure from the Deva Stadium at 4.45pm – barely enough time to complete the three-hour journey to the New Lawn in time for kick-off.

It is understood the coach driver refused to leave until the company he works for was guaranteed payment from Chester.

The officials supporters’ coach, which had been waiting alongside the players’ bus, chose not to leave the Deva Stadium.

Very sad!

Shows how wrong the gulf between prem and lower leagues are

 

[Driver8]

I'm gutted for Chester. I'm afraid the only way they can survive in any form will be to do an Aldershot and start again at the bottom of the pyramid. There is plenty of money in the city so it is a shame some of it couldn't have found it's way to the football club. Any chance of seeing the Albion at my nearest ground appear to have disappeared.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Apparently their home games are under threat unless the police are paid up front

 

[DerbyGull]

It seems to becoming more common, Scarboro and Halifax are two teams to have gone bust and reformed recently

 

[surrey jim]

It seems to becoming more common, Scarboro and Halifax are two teams to have gone bust and reformed recently

Aldershot and Accrington have also done this and made it back into the league. Wimbledon (although slightly diffrent circumstances) have almost made it into the league with their newly formed AFC team

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Apparently their home games are under threat unless the police are paid up front

When Bellotti was both Chief Executive of the Albion and Chairman of the Sussex Police Authority, the Club got so bad at paying the police that they took to taking their fees in cash from the turnstiles at half-time.

He wasn't very happy when the Police Authority's lawyers advised him (in his capacity as Chairman) that the Police Authority should take him (in his capacity as Chief Executive) to court for non-payment. That's why he (the Chief Executive) came up with this bizarre way of paying off the Club's debts.

 

[Brovion]

Aldershot and Accrington have also done this and made it back into the league. Wimbledon (although slightly diffrent circumstances) have almost made it into the league with their newly formed AFC team

Newport County and Bradford (Park Avenue) are also doing well after reformation. For the Avenue it's been an especially long road back as they re-started initially as a Bradford Sunday League side which is about as low as you can go and still be playing organised football!

It's only the little clubs that have to do it though; the bigger clubs (Leeds, Leicester, Bradford City etc) always seem to avoid that fate and pretty much carry on as before. Which is why, as I said on the 'attendance' thread, I'd like to see Palace and Portsmouth go bust and have to start again.

 

[captainmorganrum]

Chester City: The Death Rattle Now With Added Wrexham! | Twohundredpercent

 

[Superphil]

When Bellotti was both Chief Executive of the Albion and Chairman of the Sussex Police Authority, the Club got so bad at paying the police that they took to taking their fees in cash from the turnstiles at half-time.

He wasn't very happy when the Police Authority's lawyers advised him (in his capacity as Chairman) that the Police Authority should take him (in his capacity as Chief Executive) to court for non-payment. That's why he (the Chief Executive) came up with this bizarre way of paying off the Club's debts.

Didn't Bellotti turn up at the fans united game against Chester (v Brighton) and was then escorted away?

 

[Staly]

Chester's big derby v Wrexham on Sunday has now been called off as the Police won't staff it without prior payment.

Chester's a bit of a unique scenario in that the supporters, or at least a vast majority of them, are desperate for the club to be shut down so that they can start again without the current ownership, whereas the football authorities seem desperate to keep them going so that they fulfill all their fixtures and don't mess up the table. Kind of unique to see fans trying to persuade the FA to come down as hard as possible on their own club, though.

 

[surrey jim]

Chester's big derby v Wrexham on Sunday has now been called off as the Police won't staff it without prior payment.

Chester's a bit of a unique scenario in that the supporters, or at least a vast majority of them, are desperate for the club to be shut down so that they can start again without the current ownership, whereas the football authorities seem desperate to keep them going so that they fulfill all their fixtures and don't mess up the table. Kind of unique to see fans trying to persuade the FA to come down as hard as possible on their own club, though.

nothing about that on BBC
BBC Sport - Football - Chester's game with Wrexham in jeopardy over police pay

 

[luke17]

Looks like its off and even if its on i wonder what odds for a Chester win?

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