Author Archives: kwchas

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About kwchas

I am the historian and statistican for Chester Football Club and have written a number of books on the subject. The most recent of these is 125 Years On The Borderline - The Complete History of Chester City Football Club 1885-2010

100 Club

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For those that missed it, here is my Leader column from Friday November 2nd which featured a statistical breakdown of Neil Young’s first 99 games in charge. Unless Chester and Corby are involved in FA Trophy replays the fixture between the sides next Wednesday will be the 100th league game.

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The 3-0 victory at local rivals Vauxhall Motors on Tuesday night was the 99th league game for Neil Young and Chester FC. As the Blues prepare to celebrate the 100th game it’s a good time to reflect on what has been a phenomenal run of results over the last two and a half years.

The full record shows that Chester has won an incredible 71 league games since the first game was played at Warrington Town in August 2010 and the Blues have only been beaten on 10 occasions with 18 games ending as draws. It’s impossible to find such a consistent run in the club’s history and for the nearest comparable sequence you have to go back to the turn of the last century.  Between 1906 and 1909 Chester only lost nine games in three seasons although that covered just 82 games.

In modern times Mark Wright’s City lost 16 of their first 100 games after the former Liverpool and England defender took charge of the Blues in January 2002.

The Blues have been almost impregnable at the Exacta and only Chorley, Radcliffe Borough and Hednesford Town have walked away with all three points. It is now 14 games unbeaten at home since Hednesford won in the city in the middle of January.

There can be no complaints about entertainment value over this period with the Blues scoring 242 goals to average just under two and a half goals a game. At the other end a mere 77 have been conceded. Neil Young’s side have now scored in each of the last 52 league games with Hednesford Town the last team to record a shut-out in August 2011. In fact only one other team has prevented Chester from scoring in the 99 games and that was Witton Albion in March 2011. The goalless draw, in the first season, remains the only occasion in which supporters have failed to see a goal from either side.

There have been plenty of high scoring games as well with the Blues putting six past Trafford, Osset Albion, North Ferriby and Stalybridge Celtic as well as scoring five on four occasions. As far as personal goalscoring is concerned there have been eight hat-tricks with Michael Wilde scoring five of them and Chris Simm, Ben Mills and Iain Howard recording the remaining three.

Furthermore, the defensive record is also second to none and when Boston United beat the Blues 3-2 in mid-September it was the first time that John Danby had conceded more than two goals in a league game since the 4-1 defeat at Nantwich more than 12 months earlier. That August Bank Holiday defeat to our county neighbours stands out like a sore thumb amongst the results and only two other sides have managed to score more than twice against the Blues. Curzon Ashton and Radcliffe Borough both scored three times in the Evo-Stik North during the first campaign.

Danby and the rest of the defence also created a club record by going 691 minutes without conceding a league goal between August and October 2011, a record extended by 90 minutes with the inclusion of a Cheshire Senior Cup tie at Hyde.

A number of other post-war records have also been created. By winning seven games at the start of this season the Blues equalled a record set in 1914/15. The defeat at Boston also ended a run of 23 unbeaten games, which was the best since 1908/09. In addition the 15 unbeaten away games and 10 consecutive victories were also the best since 1930/31.

Since the club started it has been surrounded by a very high level of expectancy and this has often overshadowed the incredible job that Neil Young has performed. The results over the first 99 games have been a great tribute to the management team and they can all be extremely proud of their achievements and the records they have created.

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Copyright © 2012 http://www.chesterfootballhistory.com All Rights Reserved

FA Cup Observation

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After Saturday’s draw at Gainsborough Trinity it occurred to me that on the last three occasions that Chester have drawn an away FA Cup game they have then proceeded to lose the home replay. Here’s hoping for a change in fortune on Wednesday.

For the record:

2009/10
Barrow (a) 1-1
Barrow (h) 0-4

2006/07
Bury (a) 2-2
Bury (h) 1-3

2005/06
Cheltenham Town (a) 2-2
Cheltenham Town (h) 0-1

In 2006 Chester did go through to the next round after Bury were thrown out of the cup for playing an ineligible player.

The last time Chester won a home FA Cup replay was in 1999/2000 when they beat Whyteleafe 3-1 after one of their worst ever cup performances down in Surrey when they drew 0-0.

Copyright © 2012 http://www.chesterfootballhistory.com All Rights Reserved

FA Cup Winning Numbers

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The recent articles on league records seems to have attracted a lot of attention so I’ve put together some basic FA Cup statistics which I may develop depending on progress in the competition.

Saturday’s game at Gainsborough Trinity will be the first time that Chester have appeared in the Second Qualifying Round of the competition since they were beaten by Bangor City in 1927. The last time they won at this stage was 1925 when Witton Albion were beaten 4-2 after a replay.

I’ve put together a table showing the rounds that Chester have reached since they first entered the competition in 1886. It doesn’t completely reflect the progress that has been made as the round numbering has changed over the years. For instance Chester has reached the last 16 on three occasions. In 1890/91 this meant an exit in the Second Round but in 1976/77 and 1979/80 this meant elimination at the Fifth Round stage.

This is the 107th year in which Chester have competed in the FA Cup since they were formed in 1885. There have been eleven seasons when they didn’t enter and ten wartime seasons

The following list shows the round in which Chester were knocked out of the competition:

Fifth Round (2) – 1979/80, 1976/77

Fourth Round (7) – 1986/87, 1969/70, 1947/48, 1946/47, 1938/39, 1936/37, 1932/33

Third Round (16) – 2006/07, 2005/06, 2004/05, 2000/01, 1999/2000, 1996/97, 1993/94, 1990/91, 1973/74, 1970/71, 1965/66, 1964/65, 1951/52, 1945/46, 1937/38, 1934/35

Second Round (22) – 2002/03, 1997/98, 1994/95, 1991/92, 1989/90, 1988/89, 1978/79, 1977/78, 1975/76, 1968/69, 1967/68, 1963/64, 1961/62, 1959/60, 1958/59, 1957/58, 1949/50, 1948/49, 1935/36, 1933/34, 1931/32, 1890/91

First Round (28) – 2008/09, 2007/08, 2003/04, 1998/99, 1995/96, 1992/93, 1987/88, 1985/86, 1984/85, 1983/84, 1982/83, 1981/82, 1980/81, 1974/75, 1972/73, 1971/72, 1966/67, 1962/63, 1960/61, 1956/57, 1955/56, 1954/55, 1953/54, 1952/53, 1950/51, 1889/90, 1887/88, 1886/87

Fourth Qualifying Round (6) – 2009/10, 2001/02, 1921/22, 1911/12, 1910/11, 1888/89

Third Qualifying Round (3) – 1925/26, 1908/09, 1892/93

Second Qualifying Round (8) – 1927/28, 1923/24, 1914/15, 1913/14, 1905/06, 1895/96, 1893/94, 1891/92

First Qualifying Round (7)  – 1912/13, 1907/08, 1901/02, 1898/99, 1897/98, 1896/97, 1894/95

Preliminary Round (6) – 1928/29, 1926/27, 1924/25, 1922/23, 1919/20, 1909/10

Extra Preliminary round (1) – 1930/31

Didn’t enter (11) – 2011/12, 2010/11, 1929/30, 1920/21, 1906/07, 1904/05, 1903/04, 1902/03, 1900/01, 1899/1900, 1885/86

The most rounds the club has played in a season is six in both 1890/91 and 1921/22 although they received a bye in the Fourth Qualifying Round in 1890 when Irish side Cliftonville scratched from the competition. In 1921 they played in eight games which is the highest number of games in a season.

The biggest victory came in 1892 when Liverpool side Stanley were beaten 11-0. Chester also hit double figures in 1927 when Lostock Gralam were hammered 10-1.

The worst defeat came in 1890/91 when eventual cup winners Blackburn Rovers won 7-0.

and finally

Chester’s FA Cup record is not as impressive as the League Cup. They have never beaten a team from the top tier in the FA Cup and there have been only three occasions when they have beaten a team playing at least two divisions above them.

While playing in the Fourth Division, in 1969/70, Chester beat Second Division Bristol City 2-1 with goals from Keith Webber and Billy Dearden. More recently, in 2000, Graham Barrow’s Blues came from 2-0 down to beat Oxford United 3-2 in one of the most exciting games seen at the Deva Stadium. At the time Chester were in the Conference while Oxford were struggling at the bottom of the third tier of league football. Two years later the Blues were still in the Conference when they won by a single Chris Tate goal at Colchester United.

On this basis I would put forward the Bristol City game as, at least statistically, Chester’s finest ever FA Cup victory. It is a game that is rarely mentioned and perhaps should be elevated above the 5-0 win against Fulham in 1932/33 and the 2-0 Third Round win at Newcastle in 1979/80 when the opponents were only one division higher.

Best ever FA Cup victory?

Copyright © 2012 http://www.chesterfootballhistory.com All Rights Reserved

More Winning Numbers

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After three more victories, against Altrincham, Solihull Moors and FC Halifax Town, here is an update on the current records. I’ve also added a couple of additional statistics to accompany them.

Best start to a season

After six wins the club record of seven consecutive victories from the start of a season will be equalled if Chester can beat Guiseley on Saturday. On reflection I think it is valid to include the 1914/15 season so it is currently a 98 year old record that is up for grabs.

Unbeaten League Run

We have now reached 22 games unbeaten but there is still a long way to go to reach the 31 games in the Combination between January 1908 and March 1909.

Unbeaten Away Record

Victories at Altrincham and Solihull have equalled the Chester FC record of 15 unbeaten away games. If defeat is avoided at Boston United and Stalybridge Celtic the club record of 17,  set in 1930/31, will be equalled.

Chester have won the last 10 away games which beats the 9 away victories in 2010/11. The overall club record of successive away league victories is 13 in 1930/31.

Consecutive games scored

Chester have now scored in 45 consecutive league games which is comfortably a record.

Consecutive league victories

The last time that Chester dropped a point was in the 1-1 draw with Northwich Victoria that clinched promotion in April. Neil Young’s side have now won the last nine games which equals the reformed club’s record set in the nine matches immediately prior to the Northwich fixture. This also means that Chester have won 18 of the last 19 games.

The club record was set between  November 1925 and February 1926 when 13 victories were recorded in the Cheshire County League.

Individual goalscoring record

Ben Mills has scored in five consecutive league games which equals the Chester FC record set by Michael Wilde when he scored against Cammell Laird, Mossley, Ossett Albion, Skelmersdale United and Radcliffe Borough in the first season.

Wildey scores against Skelmersdale United. Copyright © Rick Matthews

It’s also worth mentioning Matt McGinn, who scored in four games in September last year, while Michael Powell also banged in four in the last four games of 2010/11.

The club record was set by Bill Pendergast in the 1938/39 season when he scored in 12 consecutive Division Three North games. He also netted against Bradford City in the FA Cup in the middle of this sequence. Prior to that Arthur Gale scored in nine consecutive games during 1930/31 when most goalscoring records were set.

Millsbot v Altrincham. Copyright © Rick Matthews

and finally

As you can imagine some of these figures are tricky to check so I hope my adding up is correct. If you think there are any errors please get in touch.

Copyright © 2012 http://www.chesterfootballhistory.com All Rights Reserved

Winning Numbers

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Following Saturday’s 2-1 win over Colwyn Bay a few people were asking me about the best ever start to a season and this prompted me to quickly check up on a few more records before this afternoon’s game at Altrincham.

Best start to a season

As I pointed out in my last article, Chester are not known for winning the first game and the current run of three equals that of the 1978/79 season when Alan Oakes’ side won at Southend and then beat Walsall and Exeter at Sealand Road in the old Division Three.

Victory at Moss Lane today would equal the record of 1934/35 when Gateshead, Accrington and Hartlepools (twice) were defeated in Division Three North. The overall club record was seven wins in the Combination at the start of the 1906/07 season. There were also seven wins at the start of the 1914/15 campaign but I have discounted this because Chester later resigned from the league.

Unbeaten League Run

Chester are now unbeaten in 19 league games with the last defeat on January 21st at home to Hednesford Town. This is now the second longest sequence without a loss but there is a long way to go before the club record is beaten. Between January 1908 and March 1909 Chester went an incredible 31 games unbeaten in the Combination.

However the current run has beaten the Chester FC league record. Following the 3-2 home defeat to Radcliffe Borough on December 11th 2010 the Blues didn’t lose again until the 2-1 setback at Lancaster City on March 19th 2011, a run of 16 games.

This sequence also passes the 18 game unbeaten run set by Mark Wright’s Conference promotion team which started with a 2-1 win over Shrewsbury in August 2003 and was ended, by Stevenage Borough, at the Deva in December. The 1934/35 team, which finished third in Division Three North, also remained undefeated for 18 games between October 1934 and February 1935.

Unbeaten Away Record

Chester are now unbeaten in 13 away games, a run which stretches back to the 2-1 defeat at Bradford Park Avenue on November 2nd last year.

In 2010/11 the Blues went 15 games unbeaten away from the Deva. Starting with the 1-1 draw at Warrington Town in the very first game Chester didn’t lose a league away game until the aforementioned 2-1 setback at Lancaster in March.

The club record for away games unbeaten is 17 in the Cheshire County League during the 1930/31 season. The run started with a 3-3 draw at Runcorn in September and was ended by Manchester North End the following April.

Consecutive games scored

One record that has been smashed is the record for scoring in consecutive games. Chester have now scored in every league fixture for the last 12 months which is a run of 42 matches. The last time they failed to find the net was at Hednesford in the 1-0 defeat last year.

Since the club was re-formed in 2010 they have only failed to score in 2 out of 89 league matches. The other game, besides Hednesford, was the goalless draw at home to Witton Albion in March 2011.

The previous record was a run of 36 games between September 1930 and April 1931. Prior to this there were also two sequences of 28 games in the early 1900s.

and finally

In recognition of today’s game I thought I would mention that Chester’s record victory was set against Altrincham when they won 13-2 at Sealand Road in November 1929 and, just to bring everyone down to earth, on Bank Holiday Monday last year Chester lost 4-1 at Nantwich Town.

Copyright © 2012 http://www.chesterfootballhistory.com All Rights Reserved