By Nathan Jackson
August 29 2005

In our second A-Z, we review our next opponents, Keith Curle's Chester City who we will be playing on Tuesday evening. We talk about Kevin Ellison's goal, the collection of ex Mansfield and Lincoln players and of course, how bland and uninspiring their atmosphere is, it's all here in the A-Z

A Airbus UK. The team who were the last of Chester’s pre-season fixtures and the men from the Welsh border produced a 2-0 victory.

 

B Ben Davies, a midfielder entering his 4^th year at the club and is a fan favourite for his apparent “never say die attitude”. He has also captained the Welsh Semi-Professional national squad.

 

C Controversy. Last season’s visit of Chester to Sincil Bank saw the most controversial goal of the season when Simon Raynor was adjudge to have picked up a back pass (funny considering the ball came off a Chester player) and Kevin Ellison appeared to just smash the ball into the net from an indirect free kick. It is debated whether the player over the ball had touched it but the goal was given and the reaction of Ellison made him one of the most hated men at Sincil Bank last season.

 

D Dominant, Chester dominated the conference in 2003/4 and won 8 of their first 10 games and despite a last day defeat to Hereford, they won the conference, losing on 5 of their 42 games that season.

 

E Ellison. Kevin Ellison, what can I say. He was loved at Lincoln after his successful loan spell in the 2003/4 season. However, he opted for a move to Chester over Sincil Bank and because of the goal mentioned in C, he is now hated by Lincoln fans. However, Ellison soon left Chester and now plays for Hull City in the championship.

 

F Fanatical, a word that can’t be used to describe the Chester fans from what Lincoln saw last season. Even at Sincil Bank, when they equalised, they hardly cheered, it was more of a polite clap.

 

G Goals, in 2004/5, Chester scored a rather poor 43 goals but conceded 69. Only Rushden, Kidderminster and Cambridge scored fewer goals than Chester last season.

 

H Hollow. The feeling you get when you enter the ground. It is one of the least atmospheric places I’ve been to and feels more like it should be used by a school than a professional football team.

 

I Irritating, not really to do with them but the fact I can’t go to the game is irritating, damn work :p

 

J Justin Walker, one of the surprisingly many ex-Imps at Chester. Justin was with the club between 1999 and 2002. He was a fans favourite but was released due to the financial crisis at City. Justin Walker is deemed as a bad luck charm as if you don’t include Lincoln, every club he’s been with, has been relegated whilst he’s been there.

 

K Keith Curle, the current man in charge at Chester. He had a good record at Mansfield before internal circumstances meant he left the club. He took a few months out of football but was appointed Chester manager towards the end of last season and has set about signing every single ex-Mansfield player available on a free transfer.

 

L Luke Dimech, another one of the former City players currently plies their trade in Cheshire. He made his name playing for Mansfield and has been capped several times by Malta. He was sent off in the Lincoln vs Mansfield game last season for a foul on Simon Yeo.

 

M Marcus Richardson, City fans need little introduction to this player. If ever there was a player who simply played for a contract, then it was Marcus. He initially came to the Imps on loan and played his arse off, got himself a contract and then became lazy for 2 years. Richardson was sacked by the Imps in February after an argument between himself and Ciaran Toner that got violent. That should be an interesting game when Chester meet Grimsby.

 

N Nineteen 97, the last time Chester beat the Imps.

 

O Over confident, the feeling a lot of fans got from Chester fans last season (and the beginning of this one).

 

P Proven ability. Chester have brought in a lot of players proven at this level, including Scott McNiven, Luke Dimech and Gregg Blundell

 

Q Quiet, it’s so quiet at their ground, you can hear a pin drop.

 

R Rectum, a nickname that the Chester fans have for their local rivals, Wrexham.

 

S Scott McNiven. Yet another player signed from Mansfield and one of the most highly rated at this level of football. He made his name with Oxford and was a key part in their promotion push two years ago. Was at Mansfield last season but didn’t play a lot due to health related issues.

 

T Tom Curtis, another ex-Mansfield player at the club and yet again, a well known name at this level due to his consistency and dependability.

 

U Ugly football. I don’t care what they say, they hoofed it last season and as I say, the only 3 sides who I saw last season who didn’t play the long ball, were the 3 that went up automatically, everyone else was hoofing it just as much as Lincoln.

 

V Vocal, a word not associated with Chester’s home atmosphere.

 

W Willa Wonka’s Chocolate Factory, the only thing I would want to see less than a game at Chester (that didn’t involve Lincoln)

 

X Xelophone – A lovely instrument they could use to improve their home atmosphere.

 

Y is defiantly the question, but what’s the answer?

 

Z Zilch, my level of concern about not having to go to their ground this season.