THE front cover of the Aldershot match programme on Saturday proclaimed: “Back in the Football League”.
Unfortunately for Chester City they can now bid farewell to the big league and prepare for life in the relative obscurity of non-League football.
Last season’s Conference champions should have been there for the taking.
With only one recognised defender in their side and an injury list that would have filled an episode of Holby City, Aldershot were down to the bare bones squad-wise. But still City’s under-achievers could not register the victory that would have given them a temporary lifeline following Grimsby’s defeat at Bournemouth.
However, the loss of two points at the Recreation Ground isn’t the reason that Chester now hold the unenviable record of being the first club to be relegated from the Football League twice.
The acquisition of a paltry 37 points from 45 matches and a shot-shy attack that has registered a meagre 42 goals, tells its own sorry tale.
There are a series of issues that have made this demotion inevitable. The club’s inability to have a transfer embargo lifted has been a major problem, which meant that manager Mark Wright was consistently and rather farcically forced to name 16 and 17-year-old players in his squad.
Dwindling attendances at the Deva Stadium, poor marketing of the club and a virtually non-existent commercial business approach, has meant that revenue streams have reduced alarmingly.
The relegation to the Premier League isn’t a concern in itself, the major worry is what shape Chester City will be in next August when the new season commences.
It is plain that the club can’t continue to lurch from one off the field crisis to another as it has done during this campaign, otherwise another horrific season awaits.
The mantra for the Chester hierarchy towards the end of this season has been a plan to redevelop the main Deva Stadium stand into offices and retail units. Without a thriving football team it renders any planned redevelopment superfluous.
Priorities must now be re-evaluated and quickly.
On Saturday at the Recreation Ground Chester put up a spirited performance, but the lack of quality was again in evidence in key areas.
Chester got off to a dream start when Ryan Lowe scored after two minutes. City were awarded a penalty when Newman pushed Ellams in the area. Bull saved Lowe’s spot-kick, but the visitors’ striker tapped home the rebound.
The home side hit back and Kirk Hudson levelled after 14 minutes and then struck again with an 18-yard screamer nine minutes after the break.
Youngster Lloyd Ellams knocked home an equaliser midway through the second period, but despite two glorious opportunities falling to substitute Ritchie Partridge they could not score a winner.
Following the game City manager Mark Wright said: “We have already been preparing for next season and if the chairman still wants me around, I will put a team together to compete for promotion.
“It is a sad day for the club, but it’s not down to today, it’s been our results all season. It has been a long hard struggle for us, but with players on £45 per week we just cannot compete at this level.”
ALDERSHOT: Bull (Jaimez-Ruiz 67), Soares, Newman, Elvins, Sandell, Hudson, Donnelly (Hylton 67), Davies, Cochrane, Grant, Robinson. Subs: Straker, Hutchings, Connelly. CHESTER CITY: Spencer, Roberts, Linwood (Rule 47), Kelly, J Vaughan, Barry (Partridge 62), Owen, Harris, Wilson, Lowe, Ellams (Jones 86). Subs: Rutherford, Platt. REFEREE: Mr Phil Gibbs (West Midlands). ATT: 3,100.
