Category: Latest

The latest news from the Joomla! Team

Seals lottery February 2018 draw

The latest Seals Lottery draw has taken place with the random number selector ‘button’ being pressed by Chester FC Media Officer, Albert Davies, witnessed by Brian Burns and Lottery Administrator Barbara Rogers.
Winners:
1st – £526.00 no. 722 Mr Andy Wood
2nd – £394.50 no. 533 Mr Bob Browne
3rd – £263.00 no. 376 Mr Mike Hardy
Total lottery prizes are also matched by funds going to the development of Chester Football Club To join the Seals Lottery, download the Application form today via this link and you could be the next big winner.  Seals Lottery Form for Printing

or pick up a form from the ticket office. (cost is £5 per number per month)
(Note : -The Seals Lottery is now open to anyone aged 16 or over).

Tranmere ticketing announcement

The board of City Fans United have decided that in light of the current situation at the club, and with the impending need to raise funds for Chester FC, we have reluctantly decided to free up more tickets for visiting Tranmere Rovers supporters for their match here on Saturday 7th April.
Visiting supporters will be allocated the entire Swettenham Chemists Community Stand, in addition to the South Stand, for this fixture.
It is not a decision we have taken lightly given our beliefs in looking after our own supporters, wherever they may be located inside the Swansway Chester Stadium.
We sincerely hope that those 187 supporters who hold season tickets in that area understand why the board have taken this decision, which will be the only occasion this season in which we make such a move.
As we want to look after our own supporters, we would like to invite all 187 supporters that hold season tickets in the Swettenham Chemists Community Stand, to come and select their choice of seat in the Red Insure Stand (not occupied by season ticket holders) prior to the date tickets go on general sale.
Following this date, supporters who have not selected a seat in the Red Insure Stand will be invited to occupy an unreserved seat for this game.
All Swettenham Chemists Community Stand season ticket holders have been contacted today via letter or email and we would like to thank Chester FC supporters for their cooperation following this announcement. Ticket sales dates will be released in due course.
The board of City Fans United

Rescheduled CFU meeting reminder

A reminder that the rescheduled CFU members meeting will be held Thursday night (8th March 2018) at 7.30pm in the Blues Bar, Chester Swansway Stadium.
The meeting was postponed last week due to the bad weather.
AGENDA
Chair’s introduction
Portfolios
Finance update
Working groups
Governance
Q&A
Date of next meeting Thursday 12th April 2018 – this will be informal, venue to be confirmed.
Wrexham Tickets
Tickets for the Wrexham away fixture will also be available for sale from the ticket office between 6.45 and 7.20pm on Thursday evening.

Former players line up to support fundraising drive

Chester’s Former Players Association is to reunite the club’s best-ever team at a one-off event to raise money for Chester FC’s fund-raising campaign.
This year is the 40th anniversary of Chester’s highest-ever league finish – fifth in the old Division Three (now League One). So while fans often recall the promotion and League Cup semi-final of 74-75 under Ken Roberts, and promotion successes under Harry McNally, Graham Barrow, Mark Wright and Neil Young, the team that recorded Chester’s best-ever finish in the League pyramid was that squad of 1977-78, managed by Alan Oakes.
At a unique event jointly organised by the Former Players Association and the Chester FC Community Trust, the players will reunite for an evening of celebration, nostalgia, and entertainment at the Blues Bar in the Swansway Deva Stadium on Friday April 6th, at 7.30. Tickets priced £15 are on sale now from Chester FC, the price including a hot meal. Proceeds will be split between Chester FC’s fighting fund and the FPA fund.
FPA chairman Alan Tarbuck said: “This has been a difficult season for the football club and the former players of whatever era are as concerned as anyone about the financial situation. We want to add to the amazing efforts already seen from the fans and do what we can to add to the fighting fund. This will be a memorable night and a chance to meet the players who can genuinely claim to be the best team Chester have ever had.”
Players who have committed to attend so far are: Brian Lloyd, Grenville Millington, Bob Delgado, Jim Walker, Nigel Edwards, Ian Edwards, Mike Kearney, Brynley Jones, and Ken Roberts who was the club’s general manager at the time.
Trevor Storton, Stuart Mason and Paul Crossley have all sadly passed away in the intervening years.
For further information on the Chester Formers Players Association, please click here to visit their website

From the boardroom…Sunday Supplement

As part of our desire and commitment to improve our communications to CFU members and fans, our new Chair, Simon Olorenshaw has put a piece together to provide a bit of light Sunday reading…
“Following the turmoil of the past 5 weeks I am pleased to say that we now have a settled Board, with all four co-optees having been successfully approved by the FA. I am also very proud, and privileged, to confirm that, at the Board Meeting on Monday evening, I received the backing of the rest of the Board and was elected to the role of Chair of the CFU. As many of you will know this is a position that I occupied in 2015/16 when I had to step down due to work commitments, and this re-appointment gives me the fortunate opportunity to complete the work started at that time.
As recent times have shown it is vital that, as a fans owned football club, there is a structure in place that allows for the continual evolution of Board members. Our Constitution dictates that at least a third of the Board stand for re-election every year so a change of people is inevitable. But that should not mean that a change in direction, or the way that the club is run should follow. As a Board it is our responsibility to ensure that there is a clearly defined strategy, with underpinning objectives and action plans, that provides the blue print for those who are charged with leading the club. This will ensure continuity and enable us to rebuild our proud club in a controlled and sustainable manner. As you would probably imagine there is a lot for the Board to focus on at the moment, both short term and long term, and it us my role to ensure that we get the balance right, whilst also developing a robust governance structure.
Once we have stabilised the club we have a duty to look back at the past season to review how we ended up with the situation that we found ourselves in on that fateful night on January 25th. Not to apportion blame, but to make sure that we learn from those lessons and ensure that we never repeat those same mistakes again. To that end we have introduced a new role onto the Board, that of a Non-Executive Director. Rich Lynes, who heads up our Governance Team, has kindly agreed to accept this position, and his role, which has no voting rights, is all about ensuring that the Board are operating within the guidelines set down by our Constitution, our Strategy, as it develops, and good business practice.
On the playing side I can assure you all that we have not given up on this season. Our financial position has been much publicised, and we have had to make some very tough decision to secure the future of our club, but we are also extremely grateful to the various sponsors who have enabled us to strengthen the squad. Whilst it is still mathematically achievable we will be doing everything in our gift to achieve survival in this League, and recent performances have shown that the players still have that belief.
Over the coming weeks I look forward to hearing your views on how we are doing as a Board so look out for me at CFU meetings, in the Blues Bar and around the ground before games. I want to ensure that, moving forward we build on the momentum and good-will that we have seen over the past five weeks, as we get back to the spirit that built this club in the first place, Our City Our Community Our Club.”
Simon

CFU board allocated portfolios

Following a meeting of the board of City Fans United directors this week, and the subsequent postponement of the members meeting originally scheduled for Thursday 1st March, details of the various portfolios for board members have been released.
With the exception of Chair, Simon Olorenshaw, each board member has had a portfolio assigned to them.
So, with immediate effect, the portfolios and owners, are:
Laurence Kirby – Finance
Mark Howell – Youth
Mike Day – Youth/Systems
Andrew Morris – People
David Harrington-Wright – Commercial
David Williams – Fundraising
Mark Jones – Governance
Calvin Hughes – First Team
Jeff Banks – Fan Engagement & Community
Richard Lynes holds no portfolio as non-executive director on the board, whilst Marion Needham continues in the role of CFU Secretary.
Simon will oversee all board members and their portfolios, whilst also acting as the figurehead for the CFU.
There will be an update on each of the working groups at next Thursday’s CFU members meeting, which starts at 7.30pm.
Members can renew their membership for the 2018/19 period on the night, and you can also join on the night as a new member or via the online link here
We look forward to seeing you on Thursday night!

CFU members meeting – POSTPONED

Tonight’s scheduled City Fans United members meeting at the Swansway Chester Stadium has been called off due to the adverse weather forecast and dangerous conditions in the car park.
The meeting has now been moved to next Thursday (8th March) – still in the Blues Bar at 7.30pm.

CFU Members Meeting – Thursday 1st March

The next meeting of City Fans United wil take place in the Blues Bar at the Swansway Chester Stadium on Thursday 1st March 2018 (7.30pm)

This is a change from the original planned ‘informal meeting’ based on the meeting at the beginning of Feb effectively being an informal meeting.

The new board will provide an update of what’s happened over the last few weeks and how things will move forward and also for new board members to be formally introduced.

The Streaming Service will available for any owners who can’t make it down to the meeting on the night. You must have renewed before the day of the meeting to eligible to watch the streaming service so don’t hesitate if you haven’t signed up already! Please email neil.bellis@chesterfc.com if you want to watch the stream but haven’t previously signed up.

Fundraising update – Wrexham AFC collection

Just four weeks ago, it was announced at the City Fans United meeting, that Chester FC needed to raise a figure of £50,000 to ensure the club could survive in the immediate term.

We have therefore been delighted at the response from Chester fans and the wider football family which has clearly come together to support the Blues in the bid for survival.
Last Thursday, we announced that we had surpassed the initial £50,000 target and now we could look to the medium term goal of ensuring survival beyond the end of the season.

Two weeks ago we were kindly contacted by officials at fellow fan owned club Wrexham AFC, who understood our position, and whilst we share a great rivalry with each other, offered us the opportunity of fundraising via donation buckets at their game against Aldershot. That kind offer of help was gratefully accepted.

This Saturday, a group of Chester fans will make the short trip up the A483 to fundraise for the Blues. Hopefully we have already covered the reasons behind why we must not stop fundraising having met the initial £50,000 target, and we would like to thank in advance any donations made – no matter how great or small – by Wrexham fans and indeed Aldershot fans at the game on Saturday, and also thank Wrexham AFC for making the offer.

We would like to thank those Blues fans giving up their time on Saturday to help raise funds for Chester FC.

Chester Select XI v Murray’s All Stars – Hospitality Packages Available

Chester Select XI v Murray’s All Stars – Thursday 15th February.

Chester FC can confirm that hospitality packages for the upcoming fundraiser event that will see a Chester side take on Colin Murray’s All Stars team, which includes Chester born and former Liverpool and England international Michael Owen, are now up for grabs.

There are various commercial opportunities for the event, as per below:
Match Sponsorship – £1000 ex vat
Includes a full sumptious 3 course meal provided by Dougherty & Allen for 10 guests, along with match tickets, a Stadium tour, and of course the all important Man of the Match selection.

Matchball Sponsorship – £500 ex vat
Includes the 3 course meal for 6 people provided by Dougherty & Allen, along with match tickets, stadium tour, and picture opportunities

Match Programme Sponsorship – £500 ex vat
Includes the 3 course meal for 6 people provided by Dougherty & Allen, along with match tickets, stadium tour, and picture opportunities.

All above sponsors will receive promotion of your sponsorship within the Stadium on the night & also the matchday programme

Meal Package – £55 per head
A 3 course meal in the Legends Lounge, along with match ticket

Mascot Package – £100 ex vat
The chance to be one of 22 mascots on the night, and have a truly memorable experience walking out with some legends of yesteryear and Colin’s all stars line up!
Match ticket included as well as a souvenir from the night itself.

For enquiries please contact the commercial team on 01244 371376 or email jackie.olorenshaw@chesterfc.com to secure your booking.

Act quickly though as this is expected to be in very high demand!