Chester City - a look ahead - Notts County Mad

Form (last six): N/a

2003/04 Finish: League; Conference - Champions

FA Cup: First Round

League Cup: Not entered

2003/04 Top Scorer: Daryl Clare - 30

2003/04 Discipline: 77 yellow, 4 red

The Wright man for the job?

The loss of a manager - and his assistant - in cohesion is always to be a shock to the system to players and fans alike, and undoubtedly something that, in the main, will rock a club to its core. Chester City are no exception to this rule. For, as of yesterday, both Mark Wright - former Anfield legend - and his right-hand man, David Moss resigned from the club with immediate effect for reasons unknown, both leaving without the issuing of a motive for such a shock uprooting.

Although possible excuses have been pointed out - a widespread belief that Wright's iron-fisted tenure was no-longer respected by his playing staff - Chester will re-raise their Football League curtain under the guidance of a former Tranmere boss and as of now, newly-appointed Chester City caretaker-manager, Ray Mathias.

But the hang-over of Friday 7th will be something the club will care not to dwell upon, although it is sure to hang heavy on the heads of the Chester squad - especially after it was Wright who helped to re-structure the club's fortunes, conquerers of all comers in the Conference to claim a 92-point title and help re-gain City's post in the Football League. But on the eve of the season's curtain-raiser, the leadership of the former-England defender, Wright will be sadly missed - something which, although unstated in Gary Mills battle-plan for his players pre-Chester clash, Notts will simply have to exploit.

As part of Mills' quest to re-claim promotion, however, it is going to be the baby-steps as opposed to huge, hopeful, bounding leaps that will prove the most important - one of such baby-steps lying in the turning over of an confused Chester outfit - whose four-year stint in the non-league scene is officially over tomorrow, and hence their League Two lives begin.

One man who Notts are going to face a stern test in, however, is City 'keeper, Wayne Brown.

The longest serving member of the Chester ranks, Brown looks set to play his 200th game for the club at Meadow Lane tomorrow. A virtual ever-present last season - missing just three games - Brown has managed to hold down the number one jersey and the confidence of players and fans alike.

However, like much of the Chester squad, Brown - with Chester - are looking to return in style to the Football League, albeit the basement division, after dabbling in the non-leagues. The Southampton-born goalkeeper also boasts England caps at semi-professional level.

***StAr MaN*** - Daryl Clare

Goal-machine

Over the past few seasons, Daryl Clare has emerged as something of the, ahem, non-league masterclass as of late. 24 goals in 39 appearances galvonised Boston's surge to the Football League two seasons ago, and Clare did not disappoint when he arrived at the Deva Stadium on a free transfer - following a fall-out with Boston management staff - his 29 goals from 27 appearances in Chester colours last term did precious little to damage that reputation.

Along with Darryn Stamp - Clare's partner in crime - the Jersey-born Clare formed a formiddable smash-and-grabesque partnership at the Deva, as their accumulative 49-goal feast accounting for a massive 58 per cent of all of Chester 03/04 season tally, helping to spearhead Mark Wright's - ex Chester gaffer - promotion winning army.

And with caps as a Republic of Ireland under-21 international, there's plenty of reasons why the former Grimsby trainee has to strut his stuff on a whole new stage - hopefully, to no effect. Oh, how ungentlemanly of me!

Chester City - a look ahead

Last updated : 07 August 2004 By Richard Brown

Trending on the boards