Former Chester full-back Bryn Jones, who made 30 Football League appearances for the club between 1964 and 1967, sadly passed away in January at the age of 85. Bryn will be remembered for an incident on New Year’s Day 1966 when he and fellow full back Ray Jones ended up in Chester Royal Infirmary together after both suffered a broken leg in the league match against Aldershot at Sealand Road.
Born in Bagillt Bryn started his career with local club Holywell Town, becoming a Welsh amateur international in 1961. At the start of the 1962/63 season Bryn signed for Bangor City but his stay proved brief and he returned to Holywell after only a few months. In January 1963 he was offered the opportunity to turn professional with third Division Watford but only made two Football League appearances for the Hornets before being released in summer 1964.
Peter Hauser brought Bryn to the Stadium in August 1964 and was quickly given his debut at right back against Bradford City as a replacement for the experienced Johnny Molyneux. His stint in the first team proved short-lived and following the next game against Torquay he was replaced by Ray Jones and spent the remainder of the season in the Cheshire County League team.
In September 1965 Bryn returned to the first team at left back establishing an effective partnership alongside Ray Jones before the New Year’s Day tragedy when both players broke a leg. With neither player adequately replaced the strong promotion challenge faded and it was December 1966 before Bryn was able to return to first team action. Unfortunately a further leg injury against Lincoln in February proved to be his final first team match and Bryn was amongst eight players given free transfers at the end of the campaign when he signed for New Brighton.
George Davies, who played 35 league games for Chester between 1956 and 1957, has sadly passed away at the grand age of 97. Playing as a wing back at Sealand Road he made 35 league appearances between 1956 and 1957 and, gifted with a powerful shot, was the club’s regular penalty taker with three of his four league goals coming from the spot. After leaving the game he was a familiar figure in Hoole where he worked as a window cleaner.
Born in Rednall in 1927 George started his career in local football with village team Llanymynech then joined Oswestry Town where he spent the next four years becoming a regular during the 1949/50 season. In June 1950 he secured a move to Sheffield Wednesday and over the next six years made almost a century of Football League appearances for the Yorkshire club. During his time at Wednesday he featured in the team that lost 2-0 in the 1954 FA Cup semi-final against Preston North End at Maine Road, Manchester in front of 75,000 supporters.
In July 1956 George became one of John Harris’ first signings for Chester for what was described as a considerable fee. He made his debut in the first game of the season, a 2-2 draw at Wrexham, and went on to make 33 league appearances during the 1956/57campaign. The following season he appeared in the first two games but was then relegated to the reserves in favour of Aled Williams following a 3-2 victory over Crewe. After a short spell in the Cheshire County League team George joined Wellington Town in the Southern League for a small fee in November 1957. His stay at Wellington lasted one season at which point George left the game.
Interviewed about his career in 1995 George said that on the whole he preferred the game when he was an amateur at Oswestry. When he became professional he felt that some of the fun and enjoyment was lost from the game as money became a more important factor. His preferred position was left half and most of his games at Sealand Road were in this position. He recalled that his most memorable game at Chester was a Welsh Cup 6th Round game at Cardiff City who were then in the First Division. It was a major shock when Chester won 2-0 at Ninian Park with George scoring the first goal, blasting home from 25 yards.
He admitted that he was a bit of a dirty player and would have been sent off a few times in the current climate. Because he was a heavy set individual he had a tendency to use his shoulder a lot and he found that referees often needed to have a quiet word with him although, despite this reputation, he was never booked or sent off throughout his career.
On the face of it there is nothing to connect winger Jack Lipsham, who played for Chester at the start of the last century, and current defender and midfielder Kevin Roberts. However the two players have the distinction of having the longest career span representing the club. In Kevin’s case this has spanned both Chester City and Chester FC, and is still ongoing, but both players have their first and last games for the club separated by 18 years.
Jack played his first game in the opening game of the 1903/04 season, a Combination fixture against Witton Albion, with his last game coming after the First World War in March 1921. Kevin made his debut in the first away fixture of the 2007/08 season at Rochdale and is, of course, still a regular member of the team in 2024/25.
An outside left John Lipsham, better known as Jack or Jacky, was one of four brothers to play for the club. The most successful of these was Bert Lipsham who represented Chester in 1896 and 1897 and went on to play 235 times for Sheffield United winning an FA Cup winners medal in 1902 as well as an international cap for England. William, who was five years older than Bert, played twice for the club during the 1897/98 season while younger brother Tommy made his debut in 1901 and played at outside right until the end of 1904. The latter’s career overlapped that of his older brother Jack at Whipcord Lane while during the 1902/03 campaign both Tommy and Jack also played for Sheffield United Reserves where their brother Bert was in the first team.
Jack was born in Chester in October 1881 and started his football career with Chester St John’s in the Chester and District League. At the end of the 1901/02 campaign St John’s were taken over by Chester and run as their reserve team with Jack a regular alongside brother Tommy. In September 1903 he made his first team debut at Whipcord Lane scoring one of the goals in a 5-0 win over Witton Albion. Over the next three seasons he only missed two Combination fixtures and was leading scorer in 1905/06. Although only 5ft 6in tall he was a well-built player and his speed down the wing and accurate crosses attracted the attention of First Division Liverpool who signed him in summer 1906. However, Jack only made three appearances for the Anfield club before returning to Chester the following year.
By this time the club were playing at Sealand Road and Jack rarely missed a game as the club won the Welsh Cup for the first time in 1908 and the Combination League in 1909. By 1913 he had amassed more than 250 league games, a great achievement given that the number of fixtures per season ranged from only 24 to a maximum 38. In March 1913 the league fixture against Hyde was designated as a benefit for Jack and his colleague Billy Matthews in recognition of their great service and the princely sum of £82-10s was raised. Surprisingly Jack signed for Wrexham during summer 1913 but nevertheless remained a popular figure and returned to Sealand Road after the war when Chester became founder members of the Cheshire County League. He played his last game for the club in March 1921, against Stalybridge Celtic Reserves, at the age of 39 having made more than 300 first team appearances. Jack was also an enthusiastic cricketer and represented Chester St John’s while at the end of his football career he was a cashier clerk at the Army Pay Office and later became general manager of the Chester Steam Laundry in Boughton. He died in 1959.
Jack Lipsham – (Front Row 2nd from left) – Chester St John’s Cricket Club 1907
Of more recent vintage Kevin Roberts graduated from the Chester youth team and was given his debut by Bobby Williamson in central midfield, having just turned 18, in a 2-1 victory at Rochdale in August 2007. Two weeks later he went on to score his first goal in a 1-1 draw at Rotherham. Over the next three seasons he became an established first team regular making 81 Football League appearances in total. Following relegation he featured in all 28 Blue Square Premier league games in the aborted 2009/10 season and was a member of the team that lost 2-1 to Ebbsfleet United in the final game for Chester City.
Kevin Roberts 07/08Kevin Roberts – 24/25
Following the old club’s demise Kevin played for Cambridge United, Brackley Town (on loan), FC Halifax and Wrexham before returning to the Deva Stadium in 2019. Since then he has been a crucial member of the Blues squad and is fast closing in on his 200th first team appearance. On current form it would be hard to bet against him extending his record into 2026 although it is worth noting that Connell Rawlinson played his first game for the club in the dying days of Chester City, against Oxford United in August 2009, and currently has a span of 16 years.
Former centre forward Gary Simpson has passed away at the age of 64. Gary joined Chester in summer 1981 and made 63 Football League appearances over the following two seasons scoring 18 goals.
Born in Chesterfield, Gary joined his local club as a schoolboy and after signing professional in 1977 made his Football League debut for the Spireites, at Plymouth Argyle, in November of the same year. Over the next four seasons he made 43 appearances for the Saltergate club without truly establishing himself as a first team regular. In 1981 Alan Oakes brought Gary to Sealand Road for £6,000 in an attempt to invigorate a team that had struggled to find goals since the departure of Ian Edwards and Ian Rush.
Gary was unfortunate to sign for the club as financial problems began to bite and with a small squad Chester were out of their depth in Division 3 finishing bottom of the table winning just six games and managing only 36 goals. Gary himself finished leading scorer with 12 of these goals including two at his former club Chesterfield in an unexpected 5-3 win.
The signing of John Thomas, following relegation to Division 4, saw some of the goalscoring pressure taken off Gary and he added another six goals as the club stabilised in mid-table. Nevertheless the financial situation was worsening and at the end of the 1982/83 season Gary was one of eight players released by the club as manager John Sainty was tasked with halving the wage bill.
After leaving Sealand Road Gary joined a host of former Chester players at Oswestry Town and also played for Bangor City and Connah’s Quay Nomads.
Former Chester City striker Steve Finney has sadly passed away at the age of 48 after a short illness. Steve was playing part-time football for Barrow when he was given an opportunity to return to the Football League by Terry Smith who signed him for Chester in October 1999. He went on to make 13 Football League appearances, including 9 from the bench, and was one of the players retained by Graham Barrow for the first season in the Conference. Alongside Paul Carden he was the only player to start the last game in the Football League, against Peterborough, and the first fixture in the Conference, against Rushden and Diamonds, and he made a further four starts and five substitute appearances before being released in late 2000.
Steve Finney
Born in Hexham Steve started his career as a youth player with Preston North End and went on to make his Football League debut for the Lancashire side in the 1991/92 season. He had the most successful spell of his footballing career at Swindon Town after joining from Manchester City in summer 1995. A goal on his debut, against Hull City, immediately endeared him to supporters and he went on to score 16 goals as Swindon were promoted to the second tier.
After representing Cambridge United, Carlisle United and Leyton Orient Steve dropped into part-time football with Gretna and Barrow but after circulating his CV to north west clubs he was contacted by Terry Smith who brought him to the Deva Stadium in 1999. He made his debut, as a substitute, in a 4-1 defeat at Lincoln but after featuring in the next seven games he was only used intermittently during the rest of the campaign.
For the first season in the Conference Steve started the first three games before dropping to the role of substitute and the signing of Steve Whitehall marked the end of his City career. His final match proved to be a Nationwide Variety Club Trophy match against Hednesford Town before a move to Altrincham after a successful loan spell.
At the time of his death he was part of the management team with Ullswater United in the Westmorland League.
Chester Football History 