…Firstly, Chester are no longer Chester City. That club was dissolved in 2010, and Chester is a five year old fan-owned club that has risen through the non-league ranks pretty sharpish. Then there’s the trivia question that everyone knows about: The pitch at the Deva Stadium is in Wales, but the car park and some of the offices are in England. I think that fact is a bit more mind blowing when you’re not like me, crossing the border about a dozen times a week. Heck, I have to cross the border to go to my nearest decent sized supermarket.
I’ve seen signs for the Deva a few times as I’ve driven into Chester city centre, but never ventured down the road that it’s on. It’s on an industrial estate, but at the far end so there’s green in the distance to one side and factory units to the other. There’s also ample parking, which is just a couple of quid. If you’re clever you can easily park for nothing on the surrounding streets though. Knowing that they’re fan owned I felt much more community spirited in giving them a few extra quid for their coffers.
There’s a decent little club shop too, which in a weekend where I was spending time with so many wrestlers had an amusing item in there in abundance: The foam finger. You know the ones I mean, in the 1980s they were yellow with “Hulkamania” on them. You now only see them at wrestling events where there are a lot of kids… and at Chester matches, where a few youngsters had them. The Chester kit is pretty nice, by the way. Nothing compared to the glorious Forest Green home kit though, a vision in green and black hoops. What a shirt. I want one now.
As I wandered around the stadium a very polite chap selling fanzines asked me if I wanted one. I politely declined (I knew I only had enough money for my ticket and some food on me), then went on my way. When he saw me again a few minutes later he went to ask again, recognised my face and apologised for bothering me again. What a splendid chap…
Jim Smallman - The Football Neutral 