We talk to a Chester City fan and find out how things will go at the Deva Stadium this season.
Tell us a bit about your season last season firstly. Would you say it was a success or failure? Did you achieve anything throughout the season, and were the fans happy with the end result?
I thought last season was very poor, boring football, boring results and boring players. Obviously everybody knows about Chester`s ‘hoofball’ system that we played under Mark Wright last year that didn’t work, which was the main catalyst in us finishing in such a poor position last year.
Nothing was achieved last year, not even any wins over our main rivals which was disappointing. Very disappointing season which surely, and I believe, will change this time round. The fans were not happy with the season, and I think that pressure did show when eventually Mark Wright was sacked.
Obviously every close season sees players leave. Who left your club and were you happy with the decision to let those players go by your boss?
David Artell`s departure did come at a bit of a shock. He was a good defender, no matter what people said. I think he left because Bobby wanted a new look Chester, Artell was one of the main ‘hoofers’ in our team last year.
Alex Meechan – No surprises, wasn`t given many chances, although when he did play he was average at best. Don`t think he could cut it in this league to be honest.
Drewe Broughton – No surprises again, apart from the fact he’s gone to MK Dons! Paul Ince must see something that I cant, didn`t like him as a player at all.
So obviously, with players going out, some have got to come in. Who has come in for you, and do you expect them to do well? Tell us a bit about these lads?
Paul Butler – I believe could be signing of the season in this league. Has huge amounts of experience, and I’m sure can cut it at this level. Very good signing indeed from Bobby.
Gavin Ward – Having watched Tranmere a few times last season, and have many friends who are Tranmere fans I know that Ward is absolute trash. One of the worst keepers in League 1 last season, and cost Tranmere a lot of points which obviously proved vital. Poor signing, and if he plays in front of Danby then it would be a criminal decision.
Ritchie Partridge – I like the look of him, looks a good pacey winger which is what we needed last season. Good signing.
Kevin Ellison – A lot is going to be put on Ellison`s shoulders due to the amount of money that was paid for him. I believe he wont live up to his price tag, and could be one of the major flops this season.
Tony Grant – Don`t know a lot about him, I don`t think he’ll start anyway. Plenty of experience so I guess he is a good signing.
John Murphy – Very good signing in my opinion, will bag 15-20 this season. We lacked an out an out goal scorer last season, so this is exactly what we need.
Nathan Lowndes – Once again I don`t know a lot about him, but what I have heard it looks to be a bad choice. 4th choice striker I think he’ll be, hopefully he gets his chance and proves me wrong.
Who are going to be your star players this season then? Who`s going to get the goals, and who`s going to stop them?
John Danby will once again be our star player. He has everything a keeper needs at this level, and I’m sure he’ll make it to a bigger club one day. I think he’s one of the best keepers in the league. As for who’s going to get the goals, its between Yeo and Murphy. Yeo shown bits of what he can do last season, as did Murphy with Macclesfield.
Season ticket sales help the club at the beginning of the season to stabilise the place and give it a bit of extra income. How many season tickets have your club shifted these season so far, and what do you expect the average attendance to be throughout the season?
I’ve heard around 800, which can you believe is a recent record. To be honest I don`t know about the average attendance, as with Chester you don`t know what your going to get. One week you can get 3,300 the next 1,100. I expect it to be in between those numbers!
Tell us a bit about your gaffer and his backroom staff. Do the fans like the gaffer, or can you see him being out of a job after a run of bad results?
Bobby Williamson is new to the place, so obviously the fans are yet to judge him properly. But during pre-season, and the signings he has made, he has begun to warm to the fans. There will be good things to come at Chester I’m sure.
This question is split into two. What do you BELIEVE your club can achieve this season, and what do you HOPE your club can achieve this season?
I believe the club can push for a play-off place. I don`t see why not. The players the gaffer has bought into the club are good, strong players and all have the potential to be really good players at this level.
I hope for a safe mid table position, which I do think we’ll get. New management, new tactics and a whole fresh outlook is what we needed, and that`s what we’ve got.
Finally, whom do you expect to win the division, who do you think will go up with them and who do you think will be relegated?
Bradford to win the league, followed very closely by Peterborough and Mk Dons. I think Morecambe will get relegation and Dagenham and Redbridge.
