26 February 2005
“THE HIGHEST PAID PAYERS IN THE LEAGUE”
Club chairman Steve Vaughan has told the Daily Post’s Neil Turner that he paid £84,000 to the Inland Revenue yesterday. The chairman has stated that City are the highest payers in League Two.

He went on to say: “I have yet again had to shell out my own money to keep the club afloat. I instructed the secretary to bring Cortez Belle back from South Wales after his suspension, and when their loans are fulfilled to also ensure that Rapley and Harris return to the club.

Chester travel to Shrewsbury Town tomorrow looking to bounce back from successive defeats to Yeovil and Grimsby. Gay Meadow is not the happiest of hunting grounds for City who have won on just one occasion in 16 visits to the Shropshire ground, back in 1999 when Nick Richardson fired the only goal in a 1-0 win.

The two sides last met in mid December when a last minute twice-taken Michael Branch penalty stole a point for the Blues in a game that saw Kevin Ellison and ex-City player Darren Moss sent off.

Tomorrow manager Ian Rush will have Darren Edmondson available for selection after a one match ban, though Phil Bolland is still out with an achilles injury. Striker Michael Branch, who has missed the last two matches with a hamstring injury, may be named in the squad, as could striker Cortez Belle (left) who has now served his five match ban.

Rush has stated that loan players Kevin Rapley and Andy Harris will both be recalled when their loan period at Forest Green Rovers expires. “We are going to need everyone at our disposal for the rest of the season” said the manager. Cortez Belle, who has been in South Wales durng his ban, was expected to join Newport County.

Things are so close at the bottom end of the table, a point last night would have lifted City to the heady heights of 18th, however they remain 21st in League Two, a good 12 points from danger at the foot of the table.

Following last night’s defeat manager Ian Rush commented: “We have to keep battling away to get safe – starting on Saturday at Shrewsbury. We have to work with the players we’ve got at the club. We’ve got a few loan players in but we haven’t really got people in that we want at the moment. It’s so important to get points on the board and get wins under our belt, then we can start looking towards next season.”

The Blues will be without Darren Edmondson and Phil Bolland

The Mariners lie in 17th position, three points above City and despite not scoring for three games gained a credible 0-0 draw at Swansea City at the weekend.

With Michael Branch sidelined with a hamstring injury, manager Ian Rush gave a league debut to Liverpool youngster Robbie Foy as City were beaten 2-0 by Yeovil Town. Foy caused problems throughout the game and was denied a debut goal early on seeing a one-on-one saved by Weale in the Glovers goal.

Sloppy defending led to the opening goal for Arron Davies and a penalty from Phil Jevons added to City’s woe. The Blues also saw a penalty appeal turned down as Ben Davies appeared to be tripped by Darren Way in the box after the break. Ashley Sestanovich, who also signed on Thursday, replaced Michael Brown at half-time and also, like Foy, had a solid debut for the Blues. However, defender Phil Bolland, who didn’t come out for the second half could be sidelined for at least two weeks with an ankle injury.

Manager Rush said: “I think that for a 30 minute period the referee lost it and he has probably cost us a point. The Yeovil players were too clever for him. They knew how to kill the game and frustrate us in the second half when we were on the attack. I think we played better than them, but at the end of the day it’s goals that mattered and they got them.”

The Blues will have their work cut-out tomorrow if they are to extend their winning match sequence to three games. They entertain table toppers Yeovil Town who make their fourth visit Deva Stadium, a ground where they have yet to pick up a victory. City were thrashed 4-1 at Huish Park back in October, with Phil Jevons scoring a hat-trick against a hapless City outfit on the day. The Blues’ consolation goal coming via the penalty spot from Daryl Clare – his last for the club.

City have signed two more players today. Robbie Foy, 19, is a midfielder who can also play up front and has turned out on a regular basis for Liverpool reserves. He was recently on the bench for the first team in the Carling Cup quarter-final tie at Tottenham. The Scotland Under-21 international has been a target for City over recent weeks. He has signed on a one month loan.

The Blues have also landed Sheffield United midfielder Ashley Sestanovich. Sestanovich, 23, started his career at Hampton & Richmond Borough before moving on to Sheffield United, Scarborough and Grimsby Town. He has recently been on loan at Grimsby Town and has signed on until the end of the season.

Stewart Drummond’s winning goal at Kidderminster eased City’s relegation worries and added to Harriers’. The Blues now sit 13 points clear of their hosts who occupy the last of the relegation positions. The game was heading for a goalless stalemate before Drummond found himself in the right place at the right time to tap home Sean Hessey’s cross from four yards in front of the delighted 500 City fans making their first-ever visit to Aggborough.

Manager Ian Rush stuck with the same starting X1 that beat Rushden seven days earlier but were forced into one substitution as Michael Brown replaced Michael Branch who pulled up with a pulled hamstring, though the injury isn’t expected to rule him out of Saturday’s home game with Yeovil Town.

Manager Rush is looking for City to carry on where they left off on Saturday. “The atmosphere on the training rund this week has been great, but that’s only to be expected after the way we performed against Rushden. We must now see if we can build on that display. With 14 games to go we’re ten points above the relegation zone – I think everybody would have accepted that situation when I took over at Chester.” he said.

Harriers were promoted to the league in 2000 as City passed into the Conference and the only occasion the sides have met before in the League was back in October when City ran out 3-0 winners at the Deva thanks to goals from Michael Branch, Kevin Ellison and ex-Harrier Ben Davies. The sides have also met in the Welsh Cup back in 1976 when Chester ran out comfortable 8-1 winners at Sealand Road.

With the team finding themselves a player short close to ‘roll off’ a fax was hastily sent to Barrow supporters club where the loan services of David Leitch were secured at the last minute, thanks Dave!

Alan Parry-Jones, Paul Woolfson (APFSCIL organiser), David Leitch (loan), Steve Catherall, Sue Choularton, David McLoughlin, Steve Mansley.

With yesterday’s bids for both Kevin McLeod and Michael Twiss rejected City have turned their sights to Shrewsbury Town midfielder Ryan Lowe. Chairman Steve Vaughan said the club would be faxing a player (as yet unknown) plus cash offer for Lowe this afternoon. Liverpool-born Lowe began his career at Burscough and moved to Gay Meadow in July 2000.

Lowe has gone on to make 115+73 appearances scoring 36 goals.

Chester have tabled a bid for Queens Park Rangers midfielder Kevin McLeod. The bid of £125,000 is a club record and it was faxed to the Championship club on Friday but it looks like the deal will not happen.

QPR chief executive Mark Devlin told the BBC: “We received an offer and spoke to Kevin about it, but I don’t think he wants to move there.”

Skipper Paul Carden returns tomorrow as City entertain one of the few sides below them in League Two, Rushden & Diamonds. Chester put on one of their best displays of the season when they beat Diamonds 1-0 at Nene Park back in October, a Stewart Drummond header bringing home the points on that occasion. A repeat of that scoreline tomorrow would be more than welcome as City look to arrest the goal drought that has seen them fail to score in the last five league matches.

David Bayliss and Cortez Belle both miss the game through suspension though Darren Edmondson, who came through the midweek reserve game should feature in the squad after recovering from injury. Manager Ian Rush said: “Darren came through the reserve game and should be available. He’s worked hard go get back and it’s a big boost for us. Gradually, they’re all coming back.”

Rush told the awaiting press after the game: “I felt last night was our worst performance since I’ve been at the club. It was very embarrassing and our supporters have every right to complain because our display was just not acceptable. The players know that, and we could have been beaten by more in the end. Cheltenham were more lively than us – I think you can only describe our display in one word – and that’s embarrassing.”

Those battling performances over the Christmas against Scunthorpe and Macclesfield seem light years away now. The departure of Kevin Ellison, coupled with the influx of several long/short-term loan players and unnecessary suspensions, has led to a totally disjointed looking side with far too many players playing out of position.

City must arrest the alarming slide quickly, easier said than done! They face two six-pointers in a week with the visit of Rushden & Diamonds on Saturday and a trip to Kidderminster Harriers seven days later, both sides in the relegation dogfight.

Chester have signed 19-year-old Walsall player Taiwo Atieno on a one month loan. He’s the sixth loan signing in the current squad. Atieno is no stranger to the Deva Stadium having played in the last match there whilst on loan from the midlands club at Rochdale. Atieno spent a three month spell at Spotland making 8+8 first team appearances, scoring two goals in the process, one of which was against City over Christmas.

Atieno told the official Walsall website: “It’ll be a good experience. Chester are near the bottom of League Two, so hopefully I can help them move up the table. Rochdale weren’t having the best of times when I went there but now they’re just outside the play-offs.”

Also signing a deal today was Joe O’Neill who has made a permanent move to the Deva until the end of the season. Both will go straight into the squad for tonight’s only League Two home as City entertain Cheltenham Town. City will be without suspended Paul Carden and Cortez Belle, and must also do without the services of Michael Brown who received concussion in Saturday’s defeat at Swansea City.

Cheltenham currently lie above City in 16th place and have three wins on their travels this season. The two sides last met in a dour 0-0 encounter at Whaddon Road back in October.

Tickets for the Shrewsbury game will go on general sale after tonight’s match priced at: Terrace £12.00 (adult) £7.00 (concession), Seats: �14.00 (adult) �9.00 (concession). Tickets will then be available from the ticket office between 10:00-16:00hrs.