Thursday, 13 October 2011 NEVER FELT MORE LIKE PLAYING THE BLUES... This Saturday FC United welcome We certainly could be in for a grand old Chester FC to Gigg Lane in one of the time oƪ the pitch with both teams most eagerly anticipated games of the having passionate support. Dust oƪ season. After the shocking display your Ʈags, do some gargling to prepare against Lancaster in the Cup the team your vocal chords and get yourself to have found some form with a draw that football ground. against Marine and a win at Frickley Athletic. If the Reds capture the form they showed in the Ƭrst few games of the season then we could be in for a classic. Wolfenden's return from injury is a big boost for FC MEN AT WORK Frickley is never an easy place to go and play good football. The slopes and hollows combined with a soft surface mean you have to be prepared to battle Ƭrst to get anything out of the game. So Margy was particularly impressed with the players attitude. “Tuesday night’s win against Frickley was a very professional performance from the lads and I was impressed with how they went about their business. I've been critical of them but they've responded excellently. On Tuesday, every one of them did their jobs as we asked, winning their individual battles all over the park which is exactly what's needed to win football matches. The bare minimum we ask for is that they work harder than the opposition. After that we hope our quality will show through. On Tuesday they did that and got their rewards. We shouldn't get too over-excited as we would expect to beat Frickley, who are below us in the league, but we've moved in the right direction.” With the visit of Chester looming large Margy is expecting a big help from FC supporters to get along to Gigg Lane and get behind the team. “It's likely that they'll bring a fair few fans today, but they won't have seen a crowd like ours for a while so I'm sure our supporters will rise to the occasion and the players will respond.” To Ƭnd out in more detail what Margy thinks of Chester and what he and Souley will be doing this Sunday make sure you buy a Matchday Programme from all good programme sellers at Gigg Lane this Saturday afternoon. CHESTER FC The two best-supported clubs in the EvoStik Northern Premier League meet on Saturday when Chester FC travel to Gigg Lane to face FC United. This could be the Ƭrst season in which FCUM fail to top their division’s average attendance table. Last season’s home average was 1826, ahead of FC Halifax Town’s 1659. In 2011-12 to date that has dropped to 1760 whilst newcomers Chester FC have averaged 2559 in their Ƭrst 7 home league Ƭxtures, around 800 more per game. As recently as May 2009 the Seals, under their name of Chester City, were proud members of the Football League, but subsequently went into administration and creditors voted to accept a rescue package oƪered by the family of Stephen Vaughan. Accepting a 10 point penalty they entered the Conference National division. The points penalty was increased to 25 when further Ƭnancial irregularities came to light and the debt then stood at £7 million. Vaughan set up a new company in an attempt to buy out the club, but the FA blocked the takeover and postponed their Ƭrst game of the 2009 -10 season away at Grays Athletic. Instead of cheering on their team the fans met in the city and awaited news of their fate. On August 13th the transfer of membership was given the go-ahead but dwindling attendances, a pitch protest and a diminishing player squad added to the woes at the Deva Stadium. Chester slumped to the bottom of the table. In February 2010 Chester failed to fulƬl a Ƭxture at Forest Green Rovers amidst rumours of players refusing to get on the team bus in protest at unpaid wages. The Football Conference Ƭnally expelled the club and it was wound up in March. Behind the scenes fans had already began to make plans for a new club, and Chester FC were formed, with the council granting the lease of Chester City’s old ground, now renamed the Exacta Stadium. They were eventually placed in the EvoStik Premier Division 1 North, where they thrived, going 12 points clear at the top of the table by March. They clinched the title on goal diƪerence in May, boasting the highest average attendanc e in the Division. They come to Bury continuing their renaissance in second place in the Premier League. Manager Neil Young has even claimed the manager of the month prize for September, with a run of six straight wins without conceding a goal. In August they defeated FCUM 2-1 at the Exacta, which has quickly become a fortress to visiting clubs, 6 wins and 1 draw from their 7 homes games so far. Just 3 points behind leaders Northwich Victoria, the Seals expect to bring more than 800 fans to Gigg Lane which could be the biggest away following at an FCUM home game to see if Karl Marginson’s men can continue where they left oƪ at Frickley Athletic on Tuesday. Two supporter-owned clubs clash on the Ƭeld of play, but both share a vision of the future that doesn’t include risky ownership deals and bankruptcy. IT CAN’T BE TRUE CAN IT? The FA Cup, Premier League and League Cup trophies will be on show at this Sunday’s Minithon, courtesy of Chorlton Irish Club. Bring the kids down and get them some great photos with the cups and Karl Marginson, Roy Soule or their favourite player / players. They will love it. Why not get your photo with your favourite FA Cup scorer from last year’s heroics exploits? It may be the nearest we get to these trophies for a few years…………… so Minithon entrants will have priority for photograph opportunities. Don’t miss out it’s not too late to enter the Minithon. To get a crack at the Treble you can still register (note that registration has been extended until Friday 14th October at 12 noon) and see more information by going to http://www.fc- utd.co.uk/story.php?story_id=3716 . DEEEEEEGAAAAAANNN! To get you in the mood for Saturday check out Neil's video from Frickley featuring Deegan's Hoddle like volley (ignore their goal, which was rubbish). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBVQTxcaDDo COURSE YOU CAN MALCOLM... If you prefer your match-day to be run by match-going fans, and to not be sat in front of a telly at dinner time, then Course You Can Malcolm is the place to be this Saturday. Live entertainment is provided by Black Star Dub Collective and The Autonomads, both highly-rated bands out of TNS Records, which is a not-for-proƬt, Manchester music collective. There’ll also be a performance by Moston’s MAD Theatre company of their new show, Bunny Lamar. Deftly shifting gears between punk culture, high culture and horticulture, Twomowers will again provide his usual well-researched insights into the private musings of the FC starting line-up. If you’re unlucky, and he’s up to it, Margy might even show him how it’s not done with another joke from a Londis cracker. Quality bottled beer, tater 'ash, pies, veggie hot dogs and pizza in Carrot Corner, as well as brews and wimberry charlottes in Tea Earn, are all available while you enjoy the independently-organised entertainment in the company of other independently-minded reds. A well-meaning Liverpudlian once sang “above us only sky” ... a few thousand Mancunians have since said ‘nah, not us’, then sang summat about no jester hats or Sky TV ... well, if you leave the hats outside, we’ll take care of the rest. Same goes for Football Focus, before you ask. Doors open 12.00.. WALL OF SOUND - FC UTD v CHESTER FC FLAG DAY FC are at home to Chester this Saturday and we could see one of the largest crowds at Gigg Lane this season, with up to a thousand Chester fans expected to Ƭll the Cemetery End for the afternoon. FC supporters in the MRE and, lead by Adam, Carl and Lee, are planning a sea of colour and Ʈags to greet our fellow supporter owned club. They're encouraging as many of you as possible to join in with them. Adam enthused, "Our supporters know the score and won't be found wanting. That picture of United fans behind the goal at Wembley in the 70's, the sea of Ʈags and banners always gives me goosebumps. Let's have some of that on Saturday". So, rather than wait for next year's FA Cup run, this Saturday bring your Ʈags, scarves, banners, and jesters hats (only joking, leave them in the Main Stand), to Gigg Lane and create a wall of sound to drive the players onwards and upwards. SOCIAL CLUB & MAIN STAND INN The Saturday Social continues to go from strength to strength, establishing its place as part of the great and varied pre-match entertainment venues for FC United. Already we're seeing regulars (though we still haven't coined a nickname for them) enjoying the pre-match experience and helping raise important funds for our club.