Category: News

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Changes to CFU Membership

Posted by Charlotte Walker on

City Fans United members 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 1,200 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 currently pay my CFU membership via monthly Direct Debit or recurring payment via PayPal or GoCardless. What do I need to do?
All membership payments by Paypal recurring payments and GoCardless direct debit have now been cancelled. You’ll need to renew your membership by signing up for one of the payment options on Fanbase via the ‘Join or Renew’ button above.

I make an additional donation to CFU on top of my membership. What do I need to do?

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 have been transferring life memberships across to Fanbase. If you have not yet been notified about this please get in touch via membership@cityfansunited.com

How many memberships can I buy?
CFU has a democratic system of one share, one vote. Each individual can have only one valid 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.

Neil Berry Joins as Treasurer

Posted by Mike Day on

City Fans United are pleased to announce that Neil Berry has been co-opted to the Board of Directors as Treasurer.

Neil is a recently retired Chartered Accountant, having spent over 30 years working in management positions within the financial services industry, his last role being Financial Controller at M&S Bank.

Neil has been a Chester FC supporter since 1979, and has been a CFU member and loan note sponsor since the club reformed in 2010, as well as being a Season Ticket Holder.

Neil will be replacing Matt Dickenson as Treasurer. Matt is relinquishing the role but remaining a part of the CFU Board to support the Directors with their respective portfolios.

Welcome Neil!

Adrian Rattenbury joins CFU Board

Posted by Charlotte Walker on
The Board of City Fans United is pleased to confirm the co-option of Adrian Rattenbury as our Governance Director.
Adrian has vast experience in governance through his role with Fair Game, where he is a Director of the football charity that is striving for financial fair play.
He has been involved in professional sport and education for more than 40 years and is another welcome addition to the CFU Board.

CFU Board Appointments

Posted by Charlotte Walker on

Following the 2023 Annual General Meeting (AGM) held at the Leap76 Stadium on Thursday, November 23rd, City Fans United is pleased to announce our newly elected and re-elected board members.

We extend our congratulations to newly elected members, Steve Jones and William Lamb. We’re also delighted to announce the re-election of continuing board members, Mike Vickers and Jim Green.

City Fans United would also like to place on record our thanks to Adam Langan, who leaves the board following the end of his three-year term. Adam has served admirably on the board, contributing his time, expertise, and passion over the past three years. His work on the Fundraising and People portfolios has been outstanding, with the Boost the Budget campaigns being a key element of our success on the field in recent seasons.

In addition to the news of our newly elected and re-elected board members, we are pleased to confirm the re-election of key officer roles within City Fans United.

Kieron Shiel continues in his role as Chair, alongside Jim Green who continues as Vice Chair, Matt Dickenson as club Treasurer, and Christine Robson who will continue as Secretary.

The first formal meeting of the newly formed City Fans United board will be held on Saturday, December 16th.

Important Information Ahead of our AGM

Posted by Charlotte Walker on

The Annual General Meeting for Chester Football Club will take place on Thursday 23rd November 2023 at 7.30pm in the Cestrian Bar at the Leap76 Stadium. Doors will be open at 7pm.

To attend the meeting, you need to be a fully paid-up member of City Fans United on or before 13th August 2023, otherwise, you will not be eligible to attend the meeting or to vote on any of the resolutions.

Please note that the entry to the AGM will be via the side door to the Cestrian Bar and not through the main entrance, this is to ensure that all attendees are registered appropriately. To make this process as smooth as possible we recommend that you have your CFU membership number to hand on arrival.

For those who are unable to attend the AGM, the stream will be available in the CFU members’ section here.

CFU Members’ Meeting – Thursday 7th September 7:30pm

Posted by Charlotte Walker on

City Fans United will be holding their next informal members’ meeting on Thursday 7th September. This meeting will be held online via MS Teams, current CFU members will receive a link to join the meeting via email.

Chester FC Academy head coach, Mike Allcock be attending the meeting to provide members with an update on the academy programme.

If you’d like to raise a question at the meeting, please email us here.

If you need to renew your membership or sign up for the first time, head to Members Section – City Fans United

Join the Board of City Fans United

Posted by Charlotte Walker on

The Board of City Fans United is looking for new board members to stand for election ahead of the annual general meeting on Thursday 23rd November 2023. 

Being passionate about Chester FC goes without saying, but the Board requires a variety of different skills to operate effectively. 

Examples of skills and experience that would be advantageous include:

  • Project management 
  • Experience with community projects
  • Business management
  • Marketing, communications, and engagement 
  • Budgeting
  • Risk management
  • Performance evaluation 
  • Networking and knowledge of local business
  • Legal knowledge

At present, we are particularly encouraging applications from people who have experience in:

  • Governance 
  • Health and safety
  • Organising events 
  • Business growth
  • Fundraising

If you would like to consider standing for election to the Board of Directors, you need to be a current CFU member as of 13th August 2023.

The election letter will be sent to all members over the coming days, accompanied by a ‘Duties of a Director’ information leaflet and a manifesto form.

If you are interested in having an informal chat about joining the board please email info@chesterfc.com 

Chester FC AGM 2023

Posted by Charlotte Walker on

The Annual General Meeting for Chester Football Club will take place on Thursday 23rd November 2023 at 7.30pm in the Blues Bar, Chester Deva Stadium. Doors will be open at 7pm.

To attend the meeting, you need to be a fully paid-up member of City Fans United. If you have not joined or have not renewed your membership, please make sure this is done by no later than 13th August 2023, otherwise, you will not be eligible to attend the meeting or to vote on any of the resolutions. Join or renew here.

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 13th August 2023.

The election letter will be sent to all members in the last week of August, 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.