Chester City F.C. were a football club which existed from 1885 until 2010. From 1931 until 2000, and again from 2004 until 2009 they were members of the Football League, playing in the third or fourth tiers of English football. The club persistently had one of the poorest playing records of any Football League sides, and was re-elected to the League on no fewer than seven occasions. From the early 1980s onwards, the club was plagued with financial troubles, selling their Sealand Road ground in 1990 to clear debts. Following their second relegation from the Football League to the Football Conference in 2009, these troubles came to a head, and the club was wound up by HMRC in March 2010.

History

Further information: History of Chester City F.C.

Key

Seasons

Year League Cup competitions Manager
Division Lvl Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Position Leading league scorer Average[1]
attendance 		FA Cup[2] FA Trophy Other competitions
Name Goals Res Rec Res Rec Competition Res Rec
Club were founded in August 1885 as an amalgamation of Chester Rovers and Old King's Scholars.
1885–86 Welsh Cup R1[3] 0–0–1
1886–87 R2[a] 1–0–0 Welsh Cup R2 1–1–1
1887–88 R1 0–0–1
1888–89 QR4 3–0–1
1889–90 R1 4–0–1
1890–91 The Combination 16 8 4 4 42 30 +12 20 3rd of 9 R2 4–0–1
1891–92 22 8 3 11 52 61 −9 19 8th of 12 QR2 1–0–1
1892–93 22 12 2 8 52 41 +11 26 3rd of 12 QR3 2–0–1
1893–94 18 6 6 6 24 26 −2 18 6th of 10 QR2 0–0–1
1894–95 20 12 2 6 53 35 −18 26 3rd of 11 QR1 0–0–1
1895–96 14 4 2 8 27 29 −2 10 5th of 8 QR2 1–0–1
1896–97 17 10 3 4 37 25 +12 23 3rd of 10 QR1 0–0–1
1897–98 24 7 5 12 39 50 −11 19 11th of 13 QR1 0–0–1
1898–99 28 13 5 10 60 57 +3 31 6th of 15 QR1 0–0–1
Left the Combination and did not participate in any competition until 1901.
1901–02 The Combination 26 6 7 13 46 67 −21 17[b] 14th of 14 QR1 1–1–0
1902–03 26 9 8 9 48 49 −1 26 7th of 14 — Welsh Cup R3 0–0–1
1903–04 24 15 3 6 65 29 +36 33 2nd of 13 — Welsh Cup R3 0–0–1
1904–05 26 17 3 6 69 35 +34 37 2nd of 14 — Welsh Cup R3 0–0–1
1905–06 28 16 4 8 72 29 +43 36 2nd of 15 QR2 1–0–1
1906–07 26 19 3 4 75 27 +48 41 2nd of 14 — Welsh Cup SF 2–1–1
1907–08 26 21 2 3 87 29 +58 44 2nd of 14 QR1 0–0–1 Welsh Cup W 4–1–0
1908–09 30 21 7 2 91 34 +57 49 1st of 16 QR3 2–0–1 Welsh Cup F 3–0–1
1909–10 30 20 2 8 85 47 +38 42 3rd of 16 PR 0–0–1 Welsh Cup F 2–1–1
Accepted to the Lancashire Combination.
1910–11 Lancashire Combination
Division Two 		38 26 4 8 104 51 +53 56 3rd of 20
Promoted 		QR4 4–0–1 Welsh Cup R3 0–1–1
1911–12 Lancashire Combination
Division One 		32 15 7 10 74 50 +24 37 6th of 17 QR4 3–0–1 Welsh Cup R4 3–1–1
1912–13 34 12 13 9 89 64 +25 37 7th of 18 PR 0–0–1 Welsh Cup SF 2–1–1
1913–14 34 9 10 15 59 62 −3 28 12th of 18 QR2 2–0–1 Welsh Cup R3 0–0–1
1914–15 Club did not finish the season due to the World War I. QR2 1–0–1 Welsh Cup R4 1–1–1
No competitive football was played between 1915 and 1919 due to the World War I.
1919–20 Cheshire County League 22 9 4 9 55 55 0 22 6th of 12 PR 0–0–1 Welsh Cup R4 0–0–1
1920–21 34 15 5 14 72 74 −2 35 10th of 18 — Welsh Cup PR2 3–1–1
1921–22 38 25 3 10 78 50 +28 53 1st of 20 QR4 5–2–1
1922–23 38 13 8 17 59 60 −1 34 15th of 20 PR 0–0–1
1923–24 42 11 15 16 59 66 −7 37 16th of 22 QR2 2–0–1
1924–25 42 14 7 21 59 103 −44 35 17th of 22 PR 0–0–1
1925–26 42 29 5 8 110 57 +53 63 1st of 22 QR3 3–3–1
1926–27 42 31 3 8 147 67 +80 65 1st of 22 PR 0–0–1
1927–28 42 23 6 13 120 73 +47 52 5th of 22 QR2 2–0–1
1928–29 38 19 5 14 99 75 +24 43 8th of 20 PR 0–0–1 Welsh Cup R4 1–0–1
1929–30 42 18 5 19 120 109 +11 41 9th of 22 — Welsh Cup R4 1–2–1
1930–31 42 31 6 5 170 59 +111 68 2nd of 22 EPR 0–0–1 Welsh Cup QF 3–2–1 Charlie Hewitt
The club elected to the Football League replacing Nelson.
1931–32 Football League
Third Division North 		3 40 21 8 11 78 60 +18 60 3rd of 21 Tom Jennings 30 7,952 R2 1–0–1 Welsh Cup SF 2–1–1 Charlie Hewitt
1932–33 42 22 8 12 94 66 +28 52 4th of 22 Joe Mantle 34 8,136 R4 3–1–1 Welsh Cup W 4–0–0
1933–34 42 17 6 19 89 86 +3 40 10th of 22 Joe Mantle 18 6,609 R2 1–0–1 Welsh Cup QF 1–0–1
1934–35 42 20 14 8 91 58 +23 54 3rd of 22 John Wallbanks 24 6,967 R3 2–0–1 Welsh Cup F 3–1–1
1935–36 42 22 11 9 100 45 +55 55 2nd of 22 Paddy Wrightson 27 6,654 R2 1–1–1 Welsh Cup F 3–0–1
1936–37 42 22 9 11 87 57 +30 53 3rd of 22 Paddy Wrightson 32 7,828 R4 1–0–1 Welsh Cup QF 1–0–1 Alex Raisbeck
1937–38 42 16 12 14 77 72 +5 44 9th of 22 Charlie Sargeant 16 5,417 R3 0–0–1 Welsh Cup QF 1–1–0
1938–39 42 20 9 13 88 70 +18 49 6th of 22 Bill Pendergast 26 5,963 R4 3–3–1 Welsh Cup SF 1–0–1 Frank Brown
1939–40 3 2 1 0 5 2 +3 5 3rd of 22 Joe McGough 2 6,463 Welsh Cup QF 1–0–1
Season abandoned.
No competitive football was played between 1939 and 1946 due to the World War II.
1945–46 R3 0–0–2 Frank Brown
1946–47 Football League
Third Division North 		3 42 25 6 11 95 51 +44 56 3rd of 22 Dick Yates 36 6,466 R4 1–1–1 Welsh Cup W 4–1–0
1947–48 42 13 9 20 64 67 −3 35 20th of 22 Tommy Burden 12 7,847 R4 3–0–1 Welsh Cup R5 0–0–1
1948–49 42 11 13 18 57 56 +1 35 18th of 22 Cam Burgess
Albert Foulds 		14 6,959 R2 1–0–1 Welsh Cup R5 0–0–1
1949–50 42 17 6 19 70 79 −9 40 12th of 22 Cam Burgess 24 6,695 R2 1–0–1 Welsh Cup SF 2–3–1
1950–51 46 17 9 20 62 64 −2 43 13th of 24 Cam Burgess 22 5,951 R1 0–0–1 Welsh Cup QF 1–0–1
1951–52 46 15 9 22 72 85 −13 39 19th of 24 Roger Kirkpatrick 10 6,146 R3 2–1–1 Welsh Cup QF 1–1–1
1952–53 46 11 15 20 64 85 −21 37 20th of 24 Don Travis 24 5,271 R1 0–0–1 Welsh Cup F 4–0–1
1953–54 46 11 10 25 48 67 −19 32 24th of 24 Don Travis 12 5,503 R1 0–0–1 Welsh Cup F 3–1–1 Louis Page
1954–55 46 12 9 25 44 77 −33 33 24th of 24 Ron Hughes 9 5,390 R1 0–0–1 Welsh Cup F 3–2–1
1955–56 46 13 14 19 52 82 −30 40 17th of 24 George Allman 12 6,640 R1 0–0–1 Welsh Cup QF 1–0–1
1956–57 46 10 13 23 55 84 −29 33 21st of 24 Billy Foulkes 11 6,472 R1 0–1–1 Welsh Cup SF 2–0–1 John Harris
1957–58 46 13 13 20 73 81 −8 39 21st of 24 Barry Jepson 23 6,740 R2 1–1–1 Welsh Cup F 3–2–1
Regional Third divisions merged creating nationwide Third Division and Fourth Division. Club did not qualify to join Third Division.
1958–59 Football League
Fourth Division 		4 46 16 12 18 72 84 −12 44 13th of 24 Norman Bullock 12 6,953 R2 1–1–1 Welsh Cup R6 0–0–1 John Harris
1959–60 46 14 12 20 59 77 −18 40 20th of 24 Walter Kelly 12 5,421 R2 1–0–1 Welsh Cup R5 0–0–1 Stan Pearson
1960–61 46 11 9 26 61 104 −43 31 24th of 24 Ron Davies 23 4,892 R1 0–0–1 R1 0–1–1 Welsh Cup QF 1–0–1
1961–62 44 7 12 25 54 96 −44 26 23rd of 23 Ron Davies 14 5,578 R1 1–0–1 R1 0–0–1 Welsh Cup R4 0–0–1 Stan Pearson
Bill Lambton
1962–63 46 15 9 22 51 66 −15 39 21st of 24 Peter Fitzgerald 8 5,542 R1 0–0–1 R3 2–1–1 Welsh Cup R5 0–0–1 Bill Lambton
1963–64 46 19 8 19 65 60 +5 46 12th of 24 Gary Talbot 23 6,182 R2 1–0–1 R1 0–1–1 Welsh Cup QF 1–0–1 Peter Hauser
1964–65 46 25 6 15 119 81 +38 56 8th of 24 Gary Talbot 28 7,659 R3 2–0–1 R3 2–0–1 Welsh Cup SF 2–3–1
1965–66 46 20 12 14 79 70 +9 52 7th of 24 Elfed Morris 24 8,504 R3 2–0–1 R1 0–0–1 Welsh Cup F 4–1–2
1966–67 46 15 10 21 54 78 −24 40 19th of 24 Les Jones 13 5,156 R1 0–0–1 R1 0–0–1 Welsh Cup SF 2–1–1
1967–68 46 9 14 23 57 78 −21 32 22nd of 24 Eddie Loyden 22 4,415 R2 1–0–1 R1 0–0–1 Welsh Cup SF 2–0–1 Peter Hauser
Ken Roberts
1968–69 46 16 13 17 76 66 +10 45 14th of 24 Gary Talbot 22 5,883 R2 1–1–1 R1 0–3–1 Welsh Cup SF 2–0–1 Ken Roberts
1969–70 46 21 6 19 58 66 −8 45 11th of 24 Derek Draper 12 4,444 R4 3–2–1 R1 0–0–1 Welsh Cup F 3–1–2
1970–71 46 24 7 15 69 55 +14 55 5th of 24 Alan Tarbuck 18 5,081 R3 2–1–1 R2 1–1–1 Welsh Cup SF 2–2–1
1971–72 46 10 18 18 47 56 −9 38 20th of 24 Eddie Loyden 11 3,001 R1 0–1–1 R1 0–1–1 Welsh Cup QF 1–1–1
1972–73 46 14 15 17 61 52 +9 43 15th of 24 Derek Draper 13 2,796 R1 0–1–1 R2 1–2–1 Welsh Cup SF 2–1–1
1973–74 46 17 15 14 54 55 −1 49 7th of 24 John James 21 2,538 R3 2–0–1 R1 0–0–1 Welsh Cup QF 1–0–1
1974–75 46 23 11 12 64 38 +26 57 4th of 24
Promoted 		Terry Owen 14 4,742 R1 0–0–1 SF 5–2–1 Welsh Cup R4 0–0–1
1975–76 Football League
Third Division 		3 46 15 12 19 43 62 −19 42 17th of 24 Terry Owen 11 4,902 R2 1–1–1 R1 0–1–1 Welsh Cup SF 2–2–1
1976–77 46 18 8 20 48 58 −10 44 13th of 24 Paul Crossley 14 4,408 R5 4–0–1 R2 1–0–2 Welsh Cup R4 0–1–1 Ken Roberts
Alan Oakes
1977–78 46 16 22 8 59 56 +3 54 5th of 24 Paul Crossley 9 3,959 R2 1–0–1 R1 1–0–1 Welsh Cup R4 0–0–1 Alan Oakes
1978–79 46 14 16 16 57 61 −4 44 16th of 24 Ian Edwards 20 3,850 R2 1–1–1 R3 2–1–1 Welsh Cup SF 2–1–1
1979–80 46 17 13 16 49 57 −8 47 9th of 24 Ian Rush 14 3,726 R5 4–0–1 R2 1–2–1 Welsh Cup QF 1–1–1
1980–81 46 15 11 20 38 48 −10 41 18th of 24 Steve Ludlam
Trevor Phillips 		7 2,892 R1 0–0–1 R1 0–1–1
1981–82 46 7 11 28 36 78 −42 32 24th of 24
Relegated 		Gary Simpson 12 2,062 R1 0–0–1 R1 0–1–1 Alan Oakes
Cliff Sear
1982–83 Football League
Fourth Division 		4 46 15 11 20 55 60 −5 56 13th of 24 John Thomas 20 2,071 R1 0–1–1 R1 0–0–2 Cliff Sear
John Sainty
Changed name to Chester City F.C. from original Chester F.C.
1983–84 Football League
Fourth Division 		4 46 7 13 26 45 82 −37 34 24th of 24 Peter Zelem
Andy Holden 		7 1,764 R1 0–0–1 R2 2–0–2 FL Trophy R2 1–0–1 John Sainty
Trevor Storton
John McGrath
1984–85 46 15 9 22 60 72 −12 54 16th of 24 Stuart Rimmer 14 1,940 R1 0–0–1 R1 0–0–2 FL Trophy R1 0–1–1 John McGrath
Mick Speight
1985–86 46 24 15 9 83 50 +33 84 2nd of 24
Promoted 		Stuart Rimmer 16 2,956 R1 0–0–1 R2 1–1–2 FL Trophy G 0–0–2 Harry McNally
1986–87 Football League
Third Division 		3 46 13 17 16 61 59 +2 56 15th of 24 Stuart Rimmer
Gary Bennett 		13 2,732 R4 3–3–1 R1 1–0–1 FL Trophy AF 4–2–1
1987–88 46 14 16 16 51 62 −11 58 15th of 24 Stuart Rimmer 24 2,664 R1 0–0–1 R1 1–0–1 FL Trophy R1 1–0–2
1988–89 46 19 11 16 64 61 +3 68 8th of 24 Carl Dale 22 3,056 R2 1–0–1 R2 1–0–3 FL Trophy G 0–1–1
1989–90 46 13 15 18 43 55 −12 54 16th of 24 Carl Dale 8 2,560 R2 1–1–1 R1 0–0–2 FL Trophy AQF 2–2–2
1990–91 46 14 9 23 46 58 −12 51 19th of 24 Carl Dale 10 1,564 R3 2–2–1 R2 1–0–3 FL Trophy G 1–0–1
1991–92 46 14 14 18 56 59 −3 56 18th of 24 Stuart Rimmer 13 1,857 R2 1–0–1 R2 1–0–3 FL Trophy R1 1–0–2
Football League divisions renamed after the Premier League creation.
1992–93 Football League
Second Division 		3 46 8 5 33 49 102 −53 29 24th of 24
Relegated 		Stuart Rimmer 20 2,992 R1 0–1–1 R1 0–1–1 FL Trophy G 0–0–2 Harry McNally
Graham Barrow
1993–94 Football League
Third Division 		4 42 21 11 10 69 46 +23 74 2nd of 24
Promoted 		David Pugh 12 3,191 R3 2–1–1 R1 0–1–1 FL Trophy AQF 2–1–1 Graham Barrow
1994–95 Football League
Second Division 		3 46 6 11 29 37 84 −47 29 23rd of 24
Relegated 		Andy Milner 8 2,388 R2 1–0–1 R1 0–0–2 FL Trophy R2 1–1–1 Mike Pejic
Derek Mann
1995–96 Football League
Third Division 		4 46 18 16 12 72 53 +19 70 8th of 24 Stuart Rimmer
Chris Priest 		13 2,674 R1 0–0–1 R2 2–0–2 FL Trophy G 0–1–1 Kevin Ratcliffe
1996–97 46 18 16 12 55 43 +12 70 6th of 24 Andy Milner 12 2,263 R3 2–0–1 R1 0–0–2 FL Trophy R1 0–0–1
Lost in the play-off semifinal.
1997–98 46 17 10 19 60 61 −1 61 14th of 24 Gary Bennett 11 2,255 R2 1–0–1 R1 0–0–2 FL Trophy R1 0–0–1
1998–99 46 13 18 15 57 66 −9 57 14th of 24 John Murphy 12 2,562 R1 0–0–1 R2 1–1–2 FL Trophy R1 0–0–1
1999–2000 46 10 9 27 44 79 −35 39 24th of 24
Relegated 		Luke Beckett 14 2,686 R3 2–1–1 R2 1–1–2 FL Trophy R2 0–0–1 Kevin Ratcliffe
Terry Smith
Ian Atkins
2000–01 Football Conference 5 42 16 14 12 49 43 +6 62 8th of 24 Mark Beesley 11 1,903 R3 3–1–1 — FL Trophy R2 1–0–1 Graham Barrow
FA Trophy SF 4–0–2
2001–02 42 15 9 18 54 51 +3 54 14th of 24 Mark Beesley 16 1,274 QR4 0–0–1 — FA Trophy QF 3–2–1 Gordon Hill
Steve Mungall
Mark Wright
2002–03 42 21 12 9 59 31 +28 75 4th of 24 Daryl Clare 17 2,406 R2 2–0–1 — FL Trophy R1 0–0–1 Mark Wright
Lost in the play-off semi-final. FA Trophy R3 0–0–1
2003–04 42 27 11 4 85 34 +51 92 1st of 24
Promoted 		Daryl Clare 29 3,065 R1 1–0–1 — FL Trophy R1 0–0–1
FA Trophy R3 0–0–1
2004–05 Football League Two 4 46 12 16 18 43 69 −26 52 20th of 24 Michael Branch 11 2,812 R3 2–0–1 R1 0–0–1 FL Trophy AQF 2–0–1 Ian Rush
2005–06 46 14 12 20 53 59 −6 54 15th of 24 Ryan Lowe 10 2,964 R3 2–1–1 R1 0–0–1 FL Trophy R1 0–0–1 Keith Curle
Mark Wright
2006–07 46 13 14 19 40 48 −8 53 18th of 24 Jonathan Walters 9 2,473 R3 1–2–2 R1 0–0–1 FL Trophy AQF 1–1–0 Mark Wright
2007–08 46 12 11 23 51 68 −17 47 22nd of 24 Kevin Ellison 11 2,479 R1 0–0–1 R1 0–1–0 FL Trophy R2 0–1–1 Bobby Williamson
Simon Davies
2008–09 46 8 13 25 43 81 −38 37 23rd of 24
Relegated 		Ryan Lowe 16 1,972 R1 0–0–1 R1 0–0–1 FL Trophy R2 0–1–0 Simon Davies
Mark Wright
2009–10 Conference National 5 28 5 7 16 23 42 −19 −3[c] — Nick Chadwick 7 1,161 QR4 0–1–1 — FA Trophy R 0–0–1 Mick Wadsworth
Jim Harvey
did not finish the season.
Club was expelled from the Football Conference, record was expunged. Subsequently Chester City wound up.
New club Chester was formed and joined Northern Premier League Division One North for the next season.

Notes

  1. ^ Disqualified for playing four unregistered players.
  2. ^ 2 points deducted for fielding ineligible player.
  3. ^ Club was docked 25 points for entering administration and financial insolvency.

References

  1. ^ "English attendances archive". EFS. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
  2. ^ "FA Cup past results". The FA. Retrieved 24 June 2016.
  3. ^ "Welsh Cup archive". WFDA. Retrieved 23 June 2016.

External links

Chester City Football Club
Chester City F.C. seasons
Lists of English men's football seasons by club
Categories