Category: News

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CFU Chair and Vice-Chair to continue in roles

Posted by Albert Davies on

Following a formal board meeting on Tuesday 10th December, the Board of City Fans United is pleased to announce that Kieron Shiel will continue in his role as Chair, with Jim Green continuing to serve in his role as Vice-Chair.

We would also like to congratulate Nick Phillipson on his re-election as a Director, as well as both Neil Berry and Adrian Rattenbury, who were voted on to the Board at last month’s AGM after serving as co-opted members of the Board since the beginning of 2024.

Finally, we would like to say a big thank you to Jeff Banks, Matt Dickenson and Charlotte Walker for all of their hard work and dedication whilst serving on the CFU Board, as their respective terms came to an end at the most recent AGM.

Portfolios for the Directors will be decided on and communicated at a later date.

Chester FC AGM 2024

Posted by Charlotte Walker on

The Annual General Meeting for Chester Football Club will take place on Thursday 28th November 2024 at 7.30pm in the Blues Bar, at the Deva Stadium. Doors will be open at 7pm.

To attend the meeting, you need to have been a fully paid-up member of City Fans United since before 18th of August 2024, either via Fanbase or via automatic renewal on the old system. Otherwise, you will not be eligible to attend the meeting or to vote on any of the resolutions.

If you would like to consider being put forward to have a place on the Board of Directors, again, you need to be a current member and your two sponsors (who cannot be members of the Board) also need to be current members as of 18th August 2024.

The election letter will be sent to all members on the 12th of September, accompanied by a “Duties of a Director” information leaflet, a manifesto, which needs to be completed if you wish to apply for a Board place, and a nomination form.

City Fans United Members’ Meeting – June Recap

Posted by Charlotte Walker on

City Fans United members were invited to an informal CFU meeting on Thursday 27th of June. For those unable to attend our latest meeting, here’s a recap of the important updates and discussions.

Update from Albert Davies

Albert Davies, our General Manager, opened the meeting with an update on our recent commercial activities. He highlighted some key initiatives, including the recently announced partnership with Revolution, and the continuation of Precision Facades and the Metcalf family as stand sponsors.

Albert emphasised the work happening to secure a stadium sponsor and also the player sponsorship opportunities for the upcoming season. If you are interested in learning more about commercial opportunities then please contact Albert albert.davies@chesterfc.com.

Pre-Season and Player Recruitment Update by Jim Green

Next, we heard from Vice-Chair Jim Green, who provided an insightful update on our pre-season preparations and player recruitment. Jim talked about the enthusiasm for the upcoming season and the hard work that has gone into our player recruitment.

He assured fans that the recruitment process is ongoing, with a focus on bringing in talent that aligns with the club’s values and aspirations. Jim also highlighted our pre-season fixtures, including the planned trip to the Isle of Man.

Fanzone Development Progress

Jim also gave an important update on the progress with the fanzone. Earlier this year, we published our ambitious fanzone proposals on the Chester FC website. We are pleased to confirm that plans have now been submitted to both Cheshire West and Chester Council (CWaC) and Flintshire Council for their initial feedback and to address any safety concerns.

The next steps involve reviewing the feedback from the councils, making necessary adjustments, and commissioning detailed technical drawings from our architect. This planning process ensures that we meet all regulatory requirements and safety standards before moving forward with the propsal.

CFU Membership Update

As you may already be aware, we have recently changed the system for CFU memberships, switching over to our new ticketing supplier Fanbase. We have already had some great feedback on how easy the sign-up process is, but we’d like to take the time to address a few FAQs.

  • CFU Numbers – you may have noticed that your Fanbase account is showing a different number than your original CFU number. This number is NOT your CFU Membership number, it’s simply a reference that Fanbase has automatically added to your account. We are working with Fanbase to remove these from your digital wallet to avoid confusion. Your legacy CFU number is safely stored with us.
  • Physical Membership Cards – cards will soon be available for those who want them, we will be in touch in due course to let you know once they are ready.
  • Early Renewals – you may have renewed earlier in the year before we made the switch to Fanbase. If this is the case then rest assured that you are very much still a CFU member. We will be emailing those still on the old system shortly to advise that your next renewal window will be the opportunity to move over to Fanbase, but for now, we don’t plan on migrating people over to the new system manually, except for Lifetime Members.
  • Accessing the Membership Area – Fanbase members do not currently have access to the members-only section of the CFU website. Work is ongoing to rectify this and we really appreciate your patience whilst we work through the technical aspect.

We are grateful to all members who attended the meeting and contributed questions during the Q&A. Your passion and support is what makes Chester FC, and we appreciate you all. For those who couldn’t make it, we hope this recap keeps you informed and engaged with the club’s ongoing efforts.

If you are not currently a CFU member, you can join here.

Changes to CFU Membership

Posted by Charlotte Walker on

City Fans United members have overwhelmingly backed an increase to the annual membership fee, with supporters now able to become an owner of Chester FC for only £2 per month or £24 per year.

More than 90% of the 500 members who responded to the recent survey indicated their support for raising the membership fee for the first time since 2013, giving the board of directors a strong mandate to proceed.

Joining City Fans United is now even easier with rolling memberships available through Fanbase and, having listened to feedback from members, we are offering three simple contribution options, making it simpler for owners who wish to pay more than the minimum.

• CFU Base: £2 per month or £24 annually
• CFU Seal: £3 per month or £36 annually
• CFU Seal Plus: £1 per week or £52 annually

JOIN OR RENEW NOW

All members will have one share and one vote, and access to the same benefits, including priority ticket access, however, any contributions you make on top of the £24 membership fee will help make your club stronger.

With the move to Fanbase, members will have a digital membership card stored in their Fanbase wallet, but physical membership cards will also be available for members who prefer these.

Should you require a physical membership card, please forward your confirmation email to membership@cityfansunited.com.

There are currently just over 1,500 members of City Fans United, and our target is to grow this to 2,000. You do not have to be a fan of Chester FC; we encourage anyone who believes in our ethos and the history of our club, to become an owner.

By putting supporters and community at the heart of our club, we’re showing that fans can have a powerful say in the way football should be run. That’s why we need you to join the CFU today, as the more owners we have, the louder our collective voice will be.

Why you should join City Fans United

  • Be a co-owner of your club
  • Supporting your club financially
  • Voting rights for the AGM, kit choices and annual awards
  • Chance to stand for election to the board of Chester FC
  • Priority ticket access for selected fixtures
  • Discounts and offers including the Lifestyle Card
  • Monthly CFU e-newsletter

Existing members can renew now by registering on Fanbase and selecting their chosen membership, which will be matched to your previous membership records.

New members can sign up through Fanbase and your membership will start immediately.

JOIN OR RENEW NOW

I have already renewed for 2024/25. Do I need to do anything?
No, we will be in touch with you soon to transfer your membership across to Fanbase.

I currently pay my CFU membership via monthly Direct Debit or recurring payment via PayPal or GoCardless. What do I need to do?
Please do nothing for the moment. We will be in touch with you soon with further details about how you can transfer across to Fanbase. Please don’t cancel your Direct Debit or recurring payment yourself, as this may impact other payments that you make to Chester FC.

I make an additional donation to CFU on top of my membership. What do I need to do?
Please sign up for new membership options through Fanbase and we will then match this to your existing membership.

If you wish to make an additional one-off donation, this can still be done, but as this option is not yet available through Fanbase, please email nick.phillipson@chesterfc.com and we can explain how to do this.

I am a CFU Life Member. What should I do?
Nothing! We will be in touch with you soon to transfer your life membership across to Fanbase.

How many memberships can I buy?
CFU has a democratic system of one share, one vote. Each individual can have only one membership under their name. However, you can buy a membership for a family member or friend.

How old do I have to be?
CFU membership is open to anyone aged 16 or older. Supporters aged under 16 can join the Junior Blues, but will not have membership rights, including voting.

Do I have any liability issues as an owner?
No. We are registered as a Community Benefit Society (CBS) with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). This means the club is a legal entity in its own right, independent of the owners, and the liability of owners is limited to a nominal £1 shareholding, taken from your membership fee when you join.

The Board of City Fans United Canvas Members

Posted by Charlotte Walker on
City Fans United is the supporters group that owns Chester Football Club.
We have 1500 members, represented by an elected board of directors, who are responsible for running the club in line with the CFU constitution and our aims of being a community-focused, financially sustainable football club playing at the highest level possible.
To support our ambition for on-field success, the board recognises the need to grow and enhance CFU membership, making it easier to join and renew, simpler to make additional contributions for members who wish to do so, increase the number of members aged under 30, and ensure the benefits meet expectations.
The current membership fee of £12 has been in place since 2013, and we therefore wish to canvas members’ views on increasing this for 2024/25. We believe this has the potential to generate an extra £18,000, which would help towards the club’s running costs, allowing additional funds to be directed into football budgets.
We would appreciate CFU members taking the time to provide their feedback through a short survey, which has been emailed to the membership today. If you do not receive this email by Saturday 20 April, and you are a current CFU member, please contact membership@cityfansunited.com.