Chester axe 20 players!
By Chris Thompson May 9 2005
Chester have shown 20 players the exit door from the Saunder’s Honda Stadium as Keith Curle braces for a summer of wholesale changes.
Chester have shown 20 players the exit door from the Saunder’s Honda Stadium as Keith Curle braces for a summer of wholesale changes.
The main team, reserve team and YTS make up a 29 strong team, but the latest move at the club gives some indication of Keith Curle’s feelings, and those being reflective of the majority of the City support-this squad simply isn’t good enough to compete at this level. The league table doesn’t lie, and Chester finished 20th in sharp contrast to the joyous celebrations upon a return to the football league last season under the reign of Mark Wright.
I can only assume therefore that about 5 or 6 players from the main team are staying put, the other of the remaining nine are likely to be promising products of the two lower based teams from the youth and reserve side.
Keith Curle is rightfully staying tight-lipped about exactly who are on their way, as he is yet to tell two of the players if they have a career at Chester, but an announcement can perhaps be expected, if not in by tomorrow, then in the next week, dependent on the situation as to why two players have not yet been told.
Curle told ‘Teamtalk,’ “I want to sit down face to face with the two players before I talk about it publicly. These have been very big decisions and I’ve not taken them lightly. It’s difficult for the young lads and the same thing happened to me when I was 16. I’ve made an honest decision and it’s up to them to have the right attitude and belief in themselves to prove me wrong.”
After little bit of thought, I would expect that Phil Bolland, Chester’s £150,000 signing from Oxford will continue to work his magic in defence, as will Ben Davies and Stewart Drummond in midfield, with Captain Paul Carden on the borderline, and Ryan Lowe and Michael Branch near certainties at the front of the park. Robbie Booth has proved to harbour great potential on the right wing, while question marks hang over the youthful players that have featured on the bench over recent weeks, including Michael Walsh, Danny Ventre, Ryan Brookfield, Shaun Whalley and Gavin Lynch. Two Thia players will move to the club on the re-opening of the transfer window as the part of Chester's link-up deal with the Thailand FA, and I strongly exepct them to be part of Keith Curle's plan, if not that be dicated by Stephen Vaughan who continues to wish to forge links.
Robbie Foy and Michael Brown are expected to return on a one way ticket back to Liverpool and Preston NE respectively, after moderately successful loan spells, and I’m clueless as to whether Carl Regan’s unsuccessful move from Droylesden was on a loan basis or permanent, but I’m in no doubt he has no future at Chester. Defensively, Mark Wright’s summer signings, Richard Hope and Shaun Hessey’s Chester futures are in doubt, having failed to play to their potential, and with manager Keith Curle once Britain’s most expensive defender, he’ll be desperate to start the re-building process from here. Full-back Darren Edmondson is also highly likely to depart, as will possibly the Chairman’s namesake son, Stephen Vaughan and Matty Cook was awarded a professional contract in the summer, but has not featured once in Chester’s 16.
Following their colleagues, Andy Harris in midfield has spent most of the season in the reserves, and the last two months at relegated Forest Green, where former City coach Alan Lewer was, until recently, manager there. Winger Andy Watson, who has featured just once for City all season since moving from Farley Celtic, faces ending a career in football prematurely following a continuous problem in his leg, and we wish Andy therefore all the best.
Striker Cortez Belle has spent a lot of time away on loan also, the end of season marking the end to his second spell at Newport County, but young and with potential, save his poor disciplinary record, may be considered as a ‘reserve player.’ Joe O’ Neil has been an unfortunately poor buy, and for him, I think, as do many, the end is nigh.
I can only assume therefore that about 5 or 6 players from the main team are staying put, the other of the remaining nine are likely to be promising products of the two lower based teams from the youth and reserve side.
Keith Curle is rightfully staying tight-lipped about exactly who are on their way, as he is yet to tell two of the players if they have a career at Chester, but an announcement can perhaps be expected, if not in by tomorrow, then in the next week, dependent on the situation as to why two players have not yet been told.
Curle told ‘Teamtalk,’ “I want to sit down face to face with the two players before I talk about it publicly. These have been very big decisions and I’ve not taken them lightly. It’s difficult for the young lads and the same thing happened to me when I was 16. I’ve made an honest decision and it’s up to them to have the right attitude and belief in themselves to prove me wrong.”
After little bit of thought, I would expect that Phil Bolland, Chester’s £150,000 signing from Oxford will continue to work his magic in defence, as will Ben Davies and Stewart Drummond in midfield, with Captain Paul Carden on the borderline, and Ryan Lowe and Michael Branch near certainties at the front of the park. Robbie Booth has proved to harbour great potential on the right wing, while question marks hang over the youthful players that have featured on the bench over recent weeks, including Michael Walsh, Danny Ventre, Ryan Brookfield, Shaun Whalley and Gavin Lynch. Two Thia players will move to the club on the re-opening of the transfer window as the part of Chester's link-up deal with the Thailand FA, and I strongly exepct them to be part of Keith Curle's plan, if not that be dicated by Stephen Vaughan who continues to wish to forge links.
Robbie Foy and Michael Brown are expected to return on a one way ticket back to Liverpool and Preston NE respectively, after moderately successful loan spells, and I’m clueless as to whether Carl Regan’s unsuccessful move from Droylesden was on a loan basis or permanent, but I’m in no doubt he has no future at Chester. Defensively, Mark Wright’s summer signings, Richard Hope and Shaun Hessey’s Chester futures are in doubt, having failed to play to their potential, and with manager Keith Curle once Britain’s most expensive defender, he’ll be desperate to start the re-building process from here. Full-back Darren Edmondson is also highly likely to depart, as will possibly the Chairman’s namesake son, Stephen Vaughan and Matty Cook was awarded a professional contract in the summer, but has not featured once in Chester’s 16.
Following their colleagues, Andy Harris in midfield has spent most of the season in the reserves, and the last two months at relegated Forest Green, where former City coach Alan Lewer was, until recently, manager there. Winger Andy Watson, who has featured just once for City all season since moving from Farley Celtic, faces ending a career in football prematurely following a continuous problem in his leg, and we wish Andy therefore all the best.
Striker Cortez Belle has spent a lot of time away on loan also, the end of season marking the end to his second spell at Newport County, but young and with potential, save his poor disciplinary record, may be considered as a ‘reserve player.’ Joe O’ Neil has been an unfortunately poor buy, and for him, I think, as do many, the end is nigh.
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