I’m a life long fan of Chester Football Club. This short blog, written on St. Valentine’s Day (aka St. Milner’s Day) is in part a love letter to my club. I wanted to write something in order to encourage participation in efforts keep Chester alive in the face of some financial difficulties. I write it in the hope that football fans of whatever team, followers from afar, occasional supporters or neutrals might empathize. If you can lend some support, that would be great too.
I also write this in part as a thank you to all those involved in fund raising efforts – including whoever bid against me and won the signed Michael Wilde away shirt auctioned on Ebay recently. I write looking ahead to a fund raising match to help keep Chester alive that takes place tomorrow evening (Thursday 15th February 2018, tickets available on the door £10/£5).
I first saw Chester in the early 70s - which ironically was perhaps the zenith of our success in my watching career, at least when measured in conventional terms. I can remember the excitement in school as Chester - the giant slayers - progressed through the league cup eventually being knocked out in the semi-final. Imagine a class full of children shouting and banging desk lids in unison- ‘Chester’ Bang! Bang! Bang! ‘Chester’ Bang! Bang! Bang! It was a shame most if us were too young to be taken to night matches.
The years from then to now have been a roller coaster, too often on the downward trajectory. But the downs have certainly made the ups sweeter. Successes may have been few and far between, but have been enjoyed none the less. Following Chester has taken me to games around the country, some famous ground on route. There’s been magic, pain, ecstasy, despair, fierce rivalries - the whole range of football watching emotions. ‘What if?' 'Surely that was in’. ‘Referee!’
During my time I’ve seen players on the up escalator to wider fame and fortune and seasoned pros seeing out their playing days on route down through the divisions. There have been many ‘legends’ that many will never have heard of beyond our club –but players who made an impact in our story.
Relegation? Check. Promotion? Check. Relegation out of the league? Check. Promotion back to the league? Check. Relegation out again? Check. Going bust? Check.
Yes. going bust. Off the field we’ve faced going under on several occasions only to escape from the brink, until the last time.
We are now a phoenix fan-owned enterprise – a co-operative model (somewhere I have a paper confirming my contribution to the original loan note society). I, along with fellow supporters, now own the club and we have a say in how its run.
Being reborn in the face of oblivion has led to some of the most enjoyable times in my ‘career’ supporting Chester. On the climb back up we won three promotions on the trot. Moreover, I now have a healthy respect of the non league pillars in the football pyramid – hidden grounds, un-segregated supporters, pies a plenty, and a beer or two.
I have little useful to say on our current financial predicament. It seems the top flight of non-league football - the National league - is keenly fought and the clubs in it hungry for promotion to the league. There is perhaps a fair amount of money being thrown about to try and gain access to the exclusive club that is the football league. When much of your income comes through gate receipts, a dip in form and then crowds may soon turn potentially catastrophic on the cash flow. Numbers turning up matters.
Whilst the present predicament is unwelcome I feel more optimistic that we can make a difference about it, in a way we couldn’t when others owned the club We are now facing these difficulties as a fan owned club. In the few short weeks since the difficulties became apparent the response has been amazing. People are clearly working their socks off - and auctioning the shirts off their backs to put things on a more steady footing.
Tomorrow’s game is going to be an emotional affair for me. Colin Murray’s all stars versus a Chester select XI. It’s going to be a whole lot of fun for sure. With some of the names on the team sheets, it will be a real trip down memory lane too. I’m not going to mention any Chester players in particular here; it’s a roll call of stars to me (that said I am looking forward to seeing a legend wearing blue and white who became famous to Chester fans by scoring for another team in another match so ensuring our promotion!)
Tomorrow two sides will face each other but both will be playing for Chester FC. A football family will gather for the love of a game and in hope of securing the future for a club that I love. I look forward to standing with you as part of that family.
