Chester FC v Torquay United

[Dave]

After last weekend's failure to beat Chesham at Plainmoor, our injury depleted squad found itself having to make an unwanted journey to Berkshire Tuesday night for the F.A trophy replay match, don't think many Gulls fans are getting to carried away, however, when you've not won many match's any win is surely welcome, this Saturday will not see The Gulls squad back on the bus for the trip up north, once again in a money saving gesture, The Gulls squad will take to their cars for the journey to the Deva stadium home of Chester FC, this time the players are driving up and back on the same day I believe.

Chester FC are currently in their third campaign since promotion back to this level from the national league north, The Blues are not in the best current form, Chester FC currently have no wins from their last 5 games, as they look to build on last seasons credible 12th place finish with 63 points, Chester will no doubt be concerned with their recent slump in form, that has seen them drop from being consistently in the top 8 during the opening months of the season to their current position of 15th on 30 points, they will almost certainly expect to win this game.

Saturday gives us a chance to catch up with former Gull Jordan Chapell, also a player once heavily linked with The Gulls, Ross Hannah.

All change at City fans united owned Chester FC

Chariman steps down with immediate effect...

Grenville Millington, Chairman of City Fans United and Chester Football Club, has today advised fellow Directors that he has reluctantly decided to resign from his position, and the board of City Fans United, with immediate effect due to full time work commitments.

Read more at http://www.chesterfc.com/news/article/c ... m4HEcO7.99

Simon Olorenshaw elected as Chairman of CFU...


He said: “As Chair I am there to support my fellow Directors, facilitate progress and ensure that we deliver on our commitments. It is not the traditional role of the Football Chairman who has the final say on everything within the football club.

“The football club is controlled by the Operations Board, which in turn is accountable to the CFU board.”

Simon added: "I am also looking forward to building on the great work of the previous Chairmen.

"For me it is all around the three pillars of the first team, the youth and the community and it is ensuring we have the right level of support for all those areas.

"I am honoured to be leading the CFU as we go into an exciting time."

Read more at http://www.chesterfc.com/news/article/c ... 5BepC8R.99

For Gulls fans attending the match

http://www.chesterfc.com/club/deva_stadium/

Top goalscorers for Chester FC

Ross Hannah 9
John Rooney 4
Jordan Chapell 3
John Hunt 2
Craig Mahon 2
Tom Shaw 2
Luke George 1
Danny Hattersley 1
Ben Heneghan 1
Craig Hobson 1
Tom Peers 1
Kane Richards 1

Current form


Chester FC - W-D-L-D-L-L

10 Nov Chester 3 - 1 Kidderminster
14 Nov Boreham Wood 0 - 0 Chester
21 Nov Chester 1 - 2 Woking
24 Nov Chester 1 - 1 Dover Athlet.
28 Nov Gateshead 1 - 0 Chester
5 Dec Cheltenham 3 - 1 Chester

Last time out


Cheltenham 3 - 1 Chester

01 Worsnop
02 Higgins
06 Sharps
08 Shaw
03 Hunt Booked (Mahon - 72' )
24 Whitmore
11 Chapell
05 George
26 Lloyd
25 Hattersley
09 Hannah

Substitutes
07 Mahon
10 Rooney
13 Forth
15 Richards
19 Hobson

Chester FC boss Steve Burr expecting tough test from Torquay United


"Kevin (Nicholson) has gone in there and he'll be stamping his own authority on the squad and what he can do," said Burr.

"When you look at them last year to where they are now, they have had a lot of problems. But I always think that if we are at our maximum and get the players performing like I know we can then I'm always confident that we can beat teams in this division.

"We're confident after the win at Telford but it's important we build some momentum now going into a busy Christmas period."

http://www.chesterchronicle.co.uk/sport ... r-10611677

From a Torquay United point if view


Finally after some communication from the club, and I'm sure all fans thank them for that, we all have a good idea where the squad is in terms of injuries, and the news is about as bad as it gets.

I fully support the clubs decision to let Fabien Spiess go, but surely not until a replacement was sourced and at the club, this leaves The Gulls potentially kicking off Saturday and the Christmas period with only one goalkeeper, Smith will return to the Gulls line up after the annual clerical error left him unavailable for the F.A Trophy game v Chesham.

With Berry injured and Richards limping out of the Chesham replay this now leaves a huge question mark, Heslop who many Gulls fans believe had his best game for United covering at Right back may be forced back into the midfield area, if Richards or Carmicheal are not fit for Saturday, so could we see Smith who's been superb in the centre move out to right back ?

Considering Nicholson could only name 3 substitutes Tuesday night including a keeper who's now left the club, an apprentice footballer, and a local league forward who's barely managed a single touch during his short pitch time with The Gulls, I dread to thing what sort of team/squad will travel for Saturdays game. Think it goes with out saying looking at the Christmas period, which sees The Gulls face an FGR double header and Cheltenham away, we simply must win this game Saturday.

Top goalscorers for Torquay United


Going to play a little game of top goalscorer watch, going to include Hurst on the list until someone passes his goal tally.

James Hurst 7
Alex Fisher 5
Tyrone Marsh 5
Dan Butler 2
Aman Verma 2
Josh Carmichael 1
Exodus Geohaghon 1
Angus MacDonald 1
Courtney Richards 1
Andre Wright 1

Current form

Torquay United- D-D-L-L-D-L

17 Oct Torquay Utd 1 - 1 Grimsby
31 Oct Altrincham 1 - 1 Torquay Utd
14 Nov Barrow 4 - 0 Torquay Utd
21 Nov Torquay Utd 1 - 3 Lincoln City
28 Nov Braintree 0 - 0 Torquay Utd
5 Dec Torquay Utd 0 - 1 Wrexham

Last time out


Torquay Utd 0 - 1 Wrexham

21 Lavercombe
29 Berry
05 MacDonald
16 Richards
24 Nicholson
18 Smith
25 Verma
26 Heslop (Briscoe - 88' )
03 Butler
28 Wright
11 Murombedzi (Marsh - 82' )

Substitutes
01 Spiess
07 Briscoe
10 Marsh
12 Carmichael
22 Gerring

Player-manager, Kevin Nicholson, on our FA Trophy win...



"I am very happy with the lads," he said. "We were solid, worked hard, weathered a few storms, but ultimately did a professional job.

"I made myself clear after the game on Sunday; we were simply not good enough, but tonight we went out there and did our job and could have had more goals in the end.

"Chesham have done well in Cup competitions this season, but I was delighted with our commitment and application in difficult conditions and with a number of players missing through injury.

"We need this to be a spring-board now. It's just one goal conceded in our last four games, which is an impressive record, this will give us the belief that we need to kick-on from here."

Read more at http://www.torquayunited.com/news/artic ... F9GO0DM.99

Torquay United manager Kevin Nicholson targets winning run

We're solid, it's one goal conceded in four now, they need to kick on," Nicholson told BBC Radio Devon.

"If we do, and a little bit of belief comes back, then it's funny how easy football can be."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/35120321

[Bloggy]

I read that the players are again car sharing to this match with an overnight stay.
Is there no other option for them? Can the Travel Club not lay on a 'special' coach on the odd occasion or a local coach firm offer their support?

[Dave]

Being suggested on another forum that the players will be driving with no overnight stay, personally hope that isn't true, I can't see the financial benefit, unless they are staying over night, surely it's going to take 3-4 cars, and I guess about £70 fuel in each, can't the club get a coach for that ?

[DaveysBarTab]

So....

What kind of side can we expect to see v chester? (a shit one hahaha ...no lets not jest)

Didn't see the lineup from Tuesdays game. Is Berry still out for sat?

[torq2u]

Or maybe 5-6 cars (for the entourage, not the subs!).

[Bloggy]

Or maybe a small portion of the £5,000 (for progressing in the Trophy) could have been used as a 'well done'...

[nickbrod]

Bournemouth players travelled in their own cars to away matches when in League 2 and on the brink - now look at them!

[Southampton Gull]

The players decided to drive up as they're spending 2 nights in Liverpool for their Xmas do. It's their choice and theirs only.

[brucie]

Well that's feckin great and very professional - absolutely pathetic.

[arcadia]

Cut them some slack now and again the club could not supply a coach for the last away game and they volunteered to take cars to stay over night.
Merry Christmas to all the players and to you brucie

[TUST_Member_Rob]

Well that's feckin great and very professional - absolutely pathetic.

Classic Brucie post!

Didn't the current premier league leaders go to Holland for a jolly mid week a week or so ago?

Nothing wrong with an Xmas do for team spirit I'm sure without Hurst everyone can keep themselves in check and be ready for the game

[Southampton Gull]

Don't see the problem Terry. They want a bonding session away from work, good luck to them, it's Xmas time, take your Scrooge hat off for once.

[Modgull]

Don't see the problem Terry. They want a bonding session away from work, good luck to them, it's Xmas time, take your Scrooge hat off for once.

As long as they've learnt the lesson from the Hurst incident!

[wivelgull]

I'm afraid the Chesham result will follow a predicted pattern: an occasional win, an occasional draw, but more often defeat, ending in glum relegation. So:
Chester (2) 4
TUFC (0) 1

Att: 2097.

Added in 2 minutes 9 seconds:
Good old brucie!

[Scott Brehaut]

0-5. Wright hat trick, Marsh and Richards.
175 travelling fans.