Beaten but not down and out

Yesterday was a strange old day, it began with the news that our former owner was being linked to a consortium that wanted to buy our rivals down the road, Wrexham, and ended with a Cheshire Senior Cup defeat to Congleton at the Exacta.

So, let's cover that match first. I was on boardroom duty along with our Vice-Chairman last night, and great to meet a nice bunch of directors, who all seemed very genuine, and gave glowing comments about the stadium, and having had it explained to them that the fans had made it look so good, they were exteremly complimentary about Chester fans, and how we had all pulled together to make the club what it is today.

After what the Vodkat League official had to say about Chester, I made sure that the Congleton directors were aware that we were here to make friends and not enemies, which is something we are keen to portray, as we are not being arrogant at our situation at all - the fact is though, we want to get up the Leagues.

As for the match itself, well, it was one of those wasn't it? A game with five goals, some of them true corkers - especially Tom Field's (he loves those long range strikes doesn't he?) and the second goal for Congleton which was thumped home!

Towards the end of the first half, a quick trip around the ground to see the ball boys (thanks Pete), to see how they were getting on, before heading back to the boardroom for more football talk with the visiting directors, who were catching a bit of the action at Man City.

Then before the second half started I grabbed Chris Pilsbury and asked if he wanted to join me on the Harry Mac as it had been a while, and I just fancied seeing the game from behind the goal like I used to all those years ago at Sealand Road, and the early days at the Deva, before I got involved in commentating/hospital radio.

So, the second half passed with the visitors grabbing the win, and to be fair they did play some good football, and it was they who got to make their way through to the next round, despite a very close header by Stu Jones at the end, never mind Jonesy, next time in the League will do - although I hope we're not 3-2 down in that match wherever you score next!

Earlier in the day then, the news about our former owner, which was, understandably, greeted with distain left right and centre, from Wrexham obviously who don't want to see their club ripped apart at the seams by the family that killed Chester City FC. Blues fans also venting their anger at what had happened at not just the Deva, but at Barrow & Widnes too.

That family should be nowhere near a football club, and to hear that other "footballing people" were involved in this consortium just makes me laugh. Those same "football people" have wrecked clubs, and now think they can 'help' another one - message to the Wrexham Supporters Trust: Keep this family away from your football club.

The Leader should really get behind their local football clubs instead of just reporting stories that come into their inbox - do some digging, and challenge why things are why they are - our 'friends' down the road are experiencing bad times off the pitch, and with finances the way they are right now down there, it's set to be another rocky and testing journey for their supporters - good luck to them. It's fair to say that they offered us help when we needed it, and we would certainly offer the same back.

We want to get that Chester - Wrexham rivalry back on. Nobody wants to lose the game that's such a big part of our history, so no-one should want them to go under whatever the circumstances.

I notice from our former owner's comments that he labelled us all a "shower of fools" - yet us fools are the ones looking forward to the new year, and the only reason I'm thinking about a trip to Court is so I can enjoy the Christmas Big Wheel and an Ice Rink!

In those comments, it also stated "they pressed the self destruct button" - hardly. He thought it was over for us, he was wrong.

In fact, I'll leave the last word to Chris Rea...