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NEWS FROM DEVA STADIUM 2010

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FEBRUARY
28 February 2010
YOUTH TEAM BATTLE ON

Despite all the troubles going on around them, the youth team travelled to Accrington Stanley on Saturday and pulled off a 3-2 league victory.

Many of the youth team have been the unsung, and also unpaid, heroes of recent weeks as the Blues have attempted to fulfil their Conference fixtures. Sam Coutler scored twice with Kieran Mills Evans adding the third for the young Blues.

Picture © Vicky Coulter

Youth fixtures | Table | Match pictures

26 February 2010
BLUES EXPELLED FROM CONFERENCE

Chester City have been expelled from the Football Conference. The Conference Board received over 75% of the votes required from member clubs at today’s meeting to throw them out. The club now face a winding up order on 10 March from HMRC for an over an paid tax bill of £26,125. Sadly, no one from Chester even bothered to attend the meeting which lasted around 90 minutes. The club have a week to appeal, not on the outcome of this meeting, but only on the original decision to order the vote.

Conference statement
The Board of the Football Conference has issued a statement following the meeting of member clubs at Rushden & Diamonds on Friday morning.

The statement reads: “Member clubs of the Football Conference, at a general meeting held today, voted in support of the Board of Director’s recommendation to erase Chester City (2004) FC Ltd from membership in accordance with Article 5.2. Chester City did not attend the meeting.”

Fans reaction
City Fans United spokesman Jeff Banks gave his reaction to the Chester Chronicle: “This is a sad day in the history of the football club.”

“But the right decision was made. Conference chairmen have looked at the bigger picture and seen that this was the best way forward for the football club. We must now continue with our plans to form a new football club in the city.”

Barrie Hipkiss, once a player at the club and a fan for more than 60 years, said he was devastated.

“This is the last thing I wanted to see happen. I feel for the players, the youngsters, the groundstaff, Tony Allen the secretary, because this is a bad day for them.”

“I spoke to Bob Gray earlier and he said he was sure tomorrow’s game against Oxford would be on but he was looking at pounds, shillings and pence.”

“I would have liked to see the club survive but realistically I could not see us fulfilling our fixtures and that was the key point.”

“I have also lost a lot of respect for Stephen Vaughan. I volunteered at the club and gave a lot to it and he then comes out and calls the fans idiots. That didn’t go down very well and if he’s calling me an idiot, well, he’s lost my respect.”

Chester City – The End Of The Road & The Rebirth
[200% website article]
HERE WE GO AGAIN
Today is decision day as the member clubs of the Football Conference vote on whether to expel the club from the competition.

The Conference Board are advising clubs vote the Blues out after they pleaded guilty to no less that five breaches of rules at a meeting last week. Of course, some clubs will gain and some will miss out should Chester’s results be expunged and, despite the Board recommendations, clubs may well be split on the decision, with many feeling that the decision should be made by the board themselves and not the members. The board will need a 75% majority in favour of expulsion to carry through their recommendation.

The meeting takes place at Rushden & Diamonds at 11:00hrs and it’s unknown who will be there to represent Chester and hear the outcome of the vote.

25 February 2010
CFU RESPOND TO VAUGHAN CRITICISM

The CFU have responded to Stephen Vaughan’s astonishing attack on SKY Sports News on Tuesday night. The former owner called the organisation “A bunch of idiots ‘ell bent on destroying the club. When you’re making meetings in bingo ‘alls do you need taking seriously?” The bingo hall reference is a strange one, that refers to either the fundraising event in the Home Guard Club or the public meeting last week in the Chester Guildhall!

Vaughan added: “They want a club for their own ends. This CFU’s only been formed in the last four months, they have got no credibility whatsoever. If they want credibility get behind the new owners of this football club when they take over.”

Needless to say the organisation with around 900 members including 100 juniors, sought the right of reply and Jeff Banks, CFU press officer and committee member told the Chester Chronicle: “It is all well and good for Mr Vaughan to speak out about the credibility of the CFU but where is his? He’s not even supposed to be involved in the club.

“He calls us a minority. In fact we have over 900 members – more than double the number of fans still attending the Deva Stadium when matches are played.”

“He claims we formed four months ago, but we were formed from the merger of the independent supporters’ association and the supporters’ trust, organisations with 10 years of history.

“He then shows his ignorance by stating we meet in bingo halls. The CFU hosted its public meeting last week at Chester’s Guildhall, one of the most historic buildings in the city. It’s hardly a bingo hall.

“We are at our lowest point in 125 years. The company providing the team coach has not been paid, the players have been paid one week’s wages in four months. Stephen Vaughan is now trying to sell the club to an organisation without a constitution, yet he calls us idiots.”

Jeff Banks interview on SKY TV | Dutch consortium speak to the Chester Chronicle

BLUES TOLD TO PREPARE FOR OXFORD
Ahead of tomorrow’s Conference vote on whether to expel City from the competition, the Conference have told the club to prepare as usual for th ehome game against Oxford United on Saturday. A spokesman for the Conference said: “Basically Chester need to have everything in place to stage the game against Oxford, if the clubs don’t give the committee their required mandate.” The club also need to ensure that they pay £200,000 prior to tomorrow’s meeting at Nene Park, which is money owed to football creditors and HM Revenue and Customs.

21 February 2010
VAUGHAN FAMILY AGREE TO CLUB SALE

The Vaughan family have agreed to sell their 100% stake in the football club to a Danish consortium who formed an internet group to buy the club when it was announced it was for sale for £1, around that two weeks ago! It transpires, according to Stephen Vaughan jnr, that the two parties were introduced to each other through a PR company run by former Chester manager Mark Wright and Jan Molby.

The consortium, headed by Palle Rasmussen, are called Chester projekt.dk are believed to have concluded the deal at 02:30hrs this morning. The agreement must have been done without consulting the membership as a whole who don’t hold their first meeting until 6 March in Odense. They have yet to appoint their own management, or board of directors

Their website states “Interested parties can subscribe for shares / units in Chester City; a share cost 1,000 kroner (roughly £118), and one person can buy up to 10 shares. You’re only liable for the amount you chose to put in in and can not be charged more money, even if the club were to go bankrupt.”

The club isn’t sold as yet, it’s all subject to legal conditions, but with a vote to expel City by Conference clubs due at the end of the week, and a winding-up order to be heard on 10 March, news of the potential sale has come at an opportune moment for the family!

This isn’t the first time the club have announced a sale of course. On 19 March 2009 the club revealed in a press-conference that the Vaughan shareholding had been sold to Gary Metcalf, only for that ‘sale’ to fall through at a later date.

The Vaughan’s are to defer their full payment until June 2011. Stephen Vaughan Junior told the Evening Leader:

“The Vaughan family will today contact the Football Conference and inform them that we will defer full payment until June 2011 and ensure that full funding will be made available to pay all of our outstanding creditors, i.e. rent, revenue and all players wages and players arrears, and other football creditors.”

“We will make an application to the Football Conference for them to reconsider their position so that we can fulfil the remainder of our fixtures.”

“In the meantime, the Vaughan family and Gary Metcalf met a Denmark-based consortium at the Deva Stadium on Saturday to strike a deal for the sale of the football club. The deal entails a 100 per cent buy out of the Vaughan family’s shareholding.”

“We shook hands on a deal which is now the subject of legal issues, but I feel confident that the Danish consortium can now be the new owners of the football club subject to an agreed sale through our solicitors Brabners, and the Danes solicitors who will stage talks today.”

“I feel a deal can be done between now and March 6th if the funds are put in place. They need to satisfy everyone that Chester City Football Club has a future.”

CFU Response to Potential Purchase by Danish Consortium

Members of a Danish consortium met represenatives of the CFU yesterday before they met the club. It was made clear to them that any rescue bid would need the support of the fans, the wider community, and a viable Business Plan. Despite agreeing to do so, they did not get back to us after the meeting with the club.

The Danish consortium also have no current business plan or strategy for running the club on a day to day basis. They do not have adequate finances to cover the current debt, and have no plans for community involvement.

We are saying clearly and directly to the Danish consortium: On Thursday you stated that if we did not wish you to continue with your bid, you would not proceed. We are saying that we do not wish you to proceed with your bid. We would however welcome you to be part of an exciting journey with us as we rebuild our club in our own vision. But if you proceed without us, you are proceeding against us with all that entails.

City Fans United are trying to clarify the full situation surrounding the reported sale of the club and will make a further statement in due course.
19 February 2010
CITY RECOMMENDED FOR EXPULSION

At yesterday’s meeting with the Football Conference management committee, the club, represented by Stephen Vaughan Jnr, Gary Metcalf and Bob Gray pleaded guilty to all five charges made against them following a presentation they made to the Conference. As a result of the meeting the Conference have recommended to the member clubs to vote Chester City FC (2004 Ltd) out of the competition at a general meeting. This meeting is expected to take place on Friday 25 February at Rushden & Diamonds.

Conference statement
“The Board of the Football Conference today (18th February 2010) met with representatives of Chester City (2004) FC, when the club pleaded guilty to all five counts with which they were charged.

These included those in respect of failing to fulfil fixtures, non payment of Football Creditors, failing to attend satisfactorily to competition business and bringing the competition into disrepute.

At the conclusion of a lengthy meeting, the representatives were advised that the Board failed to be convinced with their presentation that the club were able to demonstrate the club's ability to fulfil future fixtures in the competition and as a consequence informed the club of their finding in relation to Conference Rule 8.6.

In compliance with Article 5.2 of the Football Conference, the Board will recommend to its Member Clubs that Chester City (2004) FC should face expulsion from membership.

To facilitate this recommendation the Board are now legally mandated to convene a General Meeting of Member Clubs to, receive, deliberate and vote on the said recommendation to expel in consideration of Rule 8.6 and Article 5.2.

Until the meeting is held the club will remain suspended from the competition and their representatives suitably advised as to any future plans or presentations they may well wish to pursue against the recommendation of the Board to its Member Clubs.

The date and venue of the meeting is subject to final clarification.”
18 February 2010
CONFERENCE TO DECIDE CITY’S FATE

Today’s meeting in Birmingham between the Management Committee of the Football Conference and representatives from Chester City FC (2004 Ltd) should finally bring to an end this sad shambolic season. It seems unlikely that the Conference could do anything other than expel the club from this years competition, expunging their results in the process. A relegation of several divisions down the pyramid as punishment is also a possibility.

The club face five charges at the meeting including failing to fulfil two fixtures prior to last weeks seven day suspension imposed on the club. Should City be allowed to limp on until the end of season, their inability to be able to pay their ever-dwindling number of players, a coach company for several away trips and the police to man Deva Stadium will only bring a swift repeat of last weeks chaos.
The club have asked for a personal hearing this afternoon. Blues director Bob Gray said: “We will fight hammer and tong with the Conference and hopefully continue to play football at this club.”

The club will still be clinging on to hope of last minute injection of money bailing them out, though this seems unlikely. The only two groups who have publicly appeared to show an interest are a group of Danish businessmen whose plans to raise money to buy the club can be found on their website, and Mike Harris, owner of TNS.

Following today the club still have to face a winding-up order brought by HMRC on 10 March over unpaid tax.

Blues fans have been used to facing countless winding-up orders, D-Days, trips to court etc over the years etc but several years of mismanagement are finally about to take its toll. The meeting takes place at 16:00hrs.

Whatever the outcome of this afternoon’s meeting, supporters are urged to attend an open meeting in the Chester Guildhall tonight. Planning is well underway by the official supporters group City Fans United to form a phoenix club encompassing the community in Chester. Talks with the council, Supporters Direct and various football organisations, including other new phoenix clubs, have proved positive as the groundswell in Chester towards a new club gathers pace.

FANS MEETING IN CHESTER TONIGHT
City Fans United have called a public meeting tonight at the Guildhall in Chester, commencing at 20:00hrs. All supporters are urged to attend and demonstrate that our city does want a football club. and that there is the backing for football to continue in Chester – but run in a way that is driven by the community and reflects well on all of us.

More details of the CFU meeting


16 February 2010
ROBERTS DEPARTS DEVA

Young defender Kevin Roberts has left City to join fellow Conference side Cambridge United. Roberts, a product of the club’s youth policy, had given the club 14 days notice of his intention to leave. Roberts scored 9 goals in 105+10 appearances for the Blues.

It also appears that another young player who made the first team from the youth ranks, Shaun Kelly, may soon join former manager Jim Harvey at Stalybridge Celtic.

Picture © Evening Leader

15 February 2010
OPEN FANS MEETING IN CHESTER

With the threat of expulsion from the Football Conference highly likely at this Thursday’s meeting in Birmingham, City Fans United have called a public meeting for the same evening, at the Guildhall in Chester, commencing at 20:00hrs. All supporters are urged to attend and demonstrate that our city does want a football club. Help us demonstrate that there is the backing for football to continue in Chester – but run in a way that is driven by the community and reflects well on all of us.

Once again the plight of City will be discussed with a representative of Supporters Direct on the Non League show tonight (20.30hrs). The programme, on BBC London (94.9FM), will be available as a podcast to download later. You can send in messages at nonleague@bbc.co.uk

More details of the CFU meeting
| Non League Show podcast

14 February 2010
CONFERENCE TO CANVAS CLUBS

Today’s Non-League paper understands that tomorrow the Conference will ask for opinions on the Chester situation from all Blue Square Premier clubs. If Chester are removed from the league and their results expunged it will, of course, affect each club in a different way. Gateshead, who lost all six points to Chester and are fighting relegation, and Luton Town who only picked up two from six and are pushing for promotion, would both benefit more that others.

11 February 2010
BLUES SUSPENDED

The club have been given a seven day suspension by the Football Conference and must appear in Birmingham next week to answer five charges against them relating to breaches of Conference rules, including failing to fulfill two fixtures. Next Tuesday’s home match against Kidderminster Harriers has also been postponed.

Following yesterday’s meeting the Conference management committee issued the following statement: “The board of the Football Conference has given exhaustive and thorough consideration to matters at Chester City FC following the club’s failure to fulfil its fixture at Forest Green Rovers on Tuesday, February 9.”

“The Cheshire Constabulary has withdrawn Special Police Services due to be provided at the club’s match at the Deva Stadium on Sunday, February 14 against Wrexham, for failing to pay policing costs by a due time.”

“As a consequence the Cheshire West & Chester Borough Council has issued a Prohibition Order on the club preventing the admission of spectators into the ground, as the inadequate number of police officers will involve a risk so serious that admission ought to be prohibited, until appropriate steps have been taken.”

“Pursuant to other matters currently existing at the club, the Football Conference has served charges for breaches of five separate competition rules upon the club which include the failure to fulfil the above two fixtures.”

“The club has been given seven days to respond to the charges, and/or request a personal hearing. The charges, and a personal hearing if requested, will be considered on Thursday, February 18.”

“Meanwhile, the club’s fixtures have been suspended – resulting in Chester City’s home fixture on Wednesday, February 17 against Kidderminster Harriers being postponed.”

“No further statement will be issued until after the meeting of February 18.”

THE END IS NIGH?
The Football Conference are expected to make an announcement today regarding City’s future participation in the League. Tuesday night’s failure to turn up for the match at Forest Green Rovers together with the announcement that this Sunday’s derby clash with rivals Wrexham is postponed because the police refuse to man the game has brought the whole sorry saga of years of mismanagement by the board swiftly to a head. The expulsion from the Conference with all the clubs results expunged is a real possibility.

Conference statement

“The Board of Directors of the Football Conference has been in dialogue all day with regard to the future of Chester City Football Club following the club’s failure to fulfil its league fixture at Forest Green Rovers on Tuesday 9th February 2010.”

“Further news has been received today, Wednesday 10th February 2010, that Chester City’s home ‘derby’ fixture with Wrexham on Sunday has been postponed after Trading Standards of the Cheshire West & Chester Borough Council issued a Prohibition notice on the Deva Stadium.

“These matters are now being considered in accordance with Membership Rule 8.6 regarding the failure to fulfil two fixtures.

“These discussions will be on going throughout the evening and a decision is expected to be made by mid-morning tomorrow, with a further press release to follow.”
EXILES LONDON MEETING TONIGHT
The Exiles will be holding an emergency meeting for all Chester supporters tonight at the Rugby Tavern, 19 Great James Street, London, WC1N 3ES (upstairs area) from 7.30pm onwards. (Nearest underground station is Holborn and is within walking distance of Kings Cross and Russell Square).

David Evans, Board Member of City Fans United (CFU) and representative of the Chester City Exiles, will give members an update on CFU activities. This will be followed by a general discussion about the current situation at CCFC.

With only three weeks to go to CCFC’s next court appearance in the High Court on 10 March, we hope as many Exiles as possible will attend, with apologies to members not living within traveling distance. We will also welcome any Chester City supporters who may be in London on that evening and supporters not yet joined up to either the Exiles or CFU – we will have forms at the ready!

Tim Hillyer and Steven Powell, both on the National Council of the Football Supporters’ Federation, will be attending the meeting.

Look forward to seeing you there.
Pauline Meakins
Chair Chester City Exiles

10 February 2010
FIASCO CONTINUES WITH NO SHOW

City failed to send a team to Forest Green Rovers last night as the Deva meltdown continued. The Blues called the Gloucestershire club at 17:11hrs to say that they couldn’t raise a team to fulfill their Conference fixture. The problems started when the team coach driver refused to leave the ground to drive to the match until his company had received the money up front, the coach eventually left at 16:45hrs. Money was also (again) promised to certain senior players and this was not forthcoming.

Director of Football Morell Maison confirmed that the players had taken the action after the club had reneged on its promise to pay them their wages. He said: “Last night’s match was postponed because the club couldn’t field a team due to the non-payment of players wages.”

“Promises were made to the players by the club and those promises have been broken and the issues surrounding them the club is in deep trouble. Nobody at Chester City Football Club can get away from the facts or from their responsibilities in life. Some wages have not been paid for the last three months and it things aren’t addressed the it can only be a matter of time before more players decide to leave the club.”

A Chester player, who doesn’t wish to be named, told the Liverpool Daily Post: “The situation at the club is farcical, we are getting promises of money which never materialise, and we all feel completely let down by the current owners. This situation just can’t go on, why don’t they (the current owners) just walk away and give the club a chance, they are killing this little club.”

Seven Blues supporters made the trip to the New Lawn from as far afield as Chester, Leatherhead, Potters Bar, Wimbledon and Cheltenham. As yet there is no news from the Football Conference regarding action they will take against City regarding the late postponement.

Exiles blog

DERBY MATCH OFF
The home game against Wrexham on Sunday has been postponed. The council have served a prohibition notice on the ground preventing spectators from entering Deva Stadium after the police refused to staff the match as agreed payment in advance to them from teh club was not forthcoming.

9 February 2010
RYAN BACK FOR BLUES

Captain Tim Ryan is expected to go straight into the City side tonight as the Blues travel to play Forest Green Rovers. Kick-off at The New Lawn is 19:45hrs. Ryan has missed the last two games through suspension.

8 February 2010
CITY ACTUALLY SCORE BUT ARE BEATEN AGAIN

Despite scoring their first goal in over ten hours, and winning their first corner of 2010! City’s youngsters were beaten at home 2-1 by Ebbsfleet United on Saturday. An improved performance saw The Blues actually take the lead on 30 minutes through Jack Rea, however a double strike from Magno Vieira just before the break turned things round and the Fleet held on in the second period to claim all three points. The match was watched by a crowd of less that 400 City supporters.

Conference table

5 February 2010
EXILES LONDON MEETING

The Exiles will be holding an emergency meeting for all Exile members on Thursday, 11 February at the Rugby Tavern, 19 Great James Street, London, WC1N 3ES (upstairs area) from 7.30pm onwards. (Nearest underground station is Holborn and is within walking distance of Kings Cross and Russell Square).

David Evans, Board Member of City Fans United (CFU) and representative of the Chester City Exiles, will give members an update on CFU activities. This will be followed by a general discussion about the current situation at CCFC.

With only three weeks to go to CCFC’s next court appearance in the High Court on 10 March, we hope as many Exiles as possible will attend, with apologies to members not living within travelling distance. We will also welcome any Chester City supporters who may be in London on that evening and supporters not yet joined up to either the Exiles or CFU – we will have forms at the ready!

Tim Hillyer and Steven Powell, both on the National Council of the Football Supporters’ Federation, will be attending the meeting.

Look forward to seeing you there.
Pauline Meakins
Chair Chester City Exiles

TWO MORE SET TO LEAVE
Two more players have given the club 14 days notice that they intend to leave. They are young defenders Kevin Roberts and Rhys Meynell. Roberts (pictured) has come through the youth team ranks at Chester and looks to have a good future in the game. The 20-year-old has scored nine goals in 104+10 appearances for the Blues.

Meynell, 21, was signed by manager Mick Wadsworth for the Blues last summer and has played 10+5 for the club. He’s looking to to join one of his previous managers, Steve Burr, at Conference side Kidderminster Harriers.

Picture © Evening Leader

FLEET IN TOWN
The Blues entertain Ebbsfleet United at Deva Stadium tomorrow (15:00hrs). The two sides have yet to meet this season with the Kent club hovering above the relegation zone despite a great 3-2 win at Luton Town last weekend. The City team basically picks itself from those nine (soon to be seven!) professional players still left at the club as well as members from the youth team. Captain Tim Ryan will be unavailable once again as he serves the final game of a two match suspension.

Conference table



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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