Chronicle Article 19 January 2001

The ISA Committee would like to express heartfelt sadness at the sudden and tragic death of Doug Evans. We got to know him best last year when he was outspoken at members meetings and passionately committed. He was in regular contact with us and a number of his ideas were put into practice. Our deepest sympathies go to his family. Dougie will be sadly missed.

It is three long years since Mark Guterman's reign was running into financial difficulties. It took the close season and a handful of concerned supporters to form the ISA, with a massive endorsement from the fans. Time after time, supporters rallied round at members meetings, on the streets and at fund raising events. Without them, the club would have gone to the wall. We might not have even completed our fixtures.

This week's ISA meeting, at which Gren Millington and Bob Delgado reflected on both the past and the present, was sparsely attended. Apathy has set in. And like enthusiasm, it is contagious. We recognise that packed meetings are long gone, unless a manager resigns or we are relegated. However, it was at ISA meetings last year that positive actions such as pitch hire, sponsored travel and the Supporters Trust were proposed and approved.

Some fans are tired of what they see as the negative side of the ISA. But it is no use having a head in the sand ostrich mentality. We speak out because we care for the long-term future of our club. We are fully behind Graham Barrow and all he is trying to achieve on the pitch, although interest is waning despite the romance of the Blackburn game. But if anything cripples the club that we hold so dear, it will be financial problems once again.

A high wage bill and minimal commercial revenue combined to create the previous difficulties. But last season's disastrous low player budget policy kicked off a chain reaction from which Chester City will not easily recover, in either football or economic contexts.

Despite the stringency since July 1999 and some high profile commercial activity, rumours abound that the club has financial problems. The last accounts were published in May 1996 and current ones are promised. But until there is transparency concerning the club's financial standing, we will remain in fear of our future as a professional club in the Conference, or any other league for that matter.

This is not alarmist rhetoric. We have no hidden agenda. We remain accountable to our membership. Surely it is time that the football club was equally accountable to its supporters?

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