AFC Chester

AFC ANNOUNCES NEW CHARITY

AFC Chester are absolutely delighted to announce that our official charity for 2008/09 is to be the Hospice of the Good Shepherd in Backford, Chester.

As part of the arrangement, AFC Chester will be organising and playing in at least two charity matches during the season in memory of Carl Fielder-Shaw.

Carl was very well-known and popular in his native Deeside and loved by everyone that knew him. Wherever he went, his big smile and cheeky character never failed to make him new friends. He led a very active life as a singer and entertainer, golfer, snooker team player, family man, salesman, but his foremost passion was for football.

Carl’s love for Chester City Football Club was practically incomparable – he started going to Sealand Road to watch them as a youngster and he first got involved with the club at the age of 16 when he helped out by collecting glasses in ‘Jack’s Bar’. From thereon he worked his way up to become the popular doorman on the Executive Lounge over many years at Sealand Road (and during the exile years at Macclesfield) before becoming matchday host on Chester's return home to the Deva Stadium. He could be seen in his Chester blazer every home game, escorting the match sponsor to the centre spot for the photo line-up just prior to kick-off.

Carl’s short battle with cancer occurred during the early months of 2003. He never once complained, hid his pain away from everyone and continued joking until the very end. A true battler. Carl sadly died on April 17th at the Hospice of the Good Shepherd, aged 57. Ironically, a year on from that very day Chester City lifted their first championship trophy – the Conference title, and promotion back into the football league. We think he might just have had a word...Carl is very sorely missed, but so very fondly remembered by all who knew him.

Carl’s son Pete Fielder-Shaw (Pumps) had this to say, “I was absolutely delighted and honoured when AFC Chester approached me with the proposition of raising money for the Hospice of the Good Shepherd in my Dad's memory. It's five years since we lost him and my family and I see it as a fitting tribute that the Official Supporters team for Chester City should wish to raise funds in his memory, as he was often known as Chester's 'number one fan'. The Fielder-Shaw family are very proud and grateful that the monies raised will go to such a worthy cause, and would like to thank all involved with AFC Chester for this special gesture. My Dad would be extremely touched”.

AFC Chester’s manager Lee Wilcox has expressed his delight at this announcement and taken the time out to thank those involved in the setting up of this fundraising initiative, “It is with great honour that we are able to support this very worthwhile charity and especially so in the memory of somebody who bled Chester City blue. As a team we have played in the Carl Fielder-Shaw Memorial Tournament in the past and enjoyed it immensely but now we have the chance to do something ourselves for this excellent charity.

“I must pass on my thanks at this point to Mike Griffiths who has done some of the groundwork on this arrangement and especially to Pete Fielder-Shaw who has helped me in our dealings with the Hospice. I look forward to welcoming Pete into the team as honorary captain for the matches”.

The Hospice exists to provide highly specialised palliative care for people living with advanced diseases from the communities of Chester, Deeside, Ellesmere Port and Rural Cheshire.

Their services are provided free of charge to anyone in medical need. These include Medical, Nursing, Social, Emotional and Spiritual support for Patients and their families.
Running costs for the Hospice are over £6,000 each day and they rely heavily on the community that they serve.

Details of the charity matches will be made public in due course.

http://www.hospiceofthegoodshepherd.com/



AFC SECURES MAJOR NEW SPONSOR

AFC Chester are delighted to announce that its new main club sponsors are to be UK Sameday.

UK Sameday are the leading independent express courier serving Chester, Deeside, Wrexham, the Wirral and surrounding areas and until recently were also the main sponsors of Chester City FC.

Managing Director of UK Sameday, Paul Baker has supported AFC Chester in the past through presentation of a signed shirt and has now pledged to purchase a full home playing kit for the team, identical to the kit currently used by Chester City’s first team.

AFC Chester are the official supporters team of Chester City FC and competes in the Northern Football Supporters League against such sides as Everton, Wrexham, Liverpool, Blackburn Rovers and Rhyl.

Manager of AFC Chester, Lee Wilcox has expressed his delight at securing this sponsorship and praised the efforts of Paul Baker. “We at AFC are absolutely thrilled that Paul Baker and UK Sameday have decided to back us in this way.

“We will be proud to wear the UK Sameday logo on our shirts next season and we hope that this partnership can help us to achieve greater things. We must pass on our sincerest thanks to Paul Baker and everyone at UK Sameday for deciding to back us in this way and we hope that we help to make this partnership a true success.”



MORECAMBE WASH OUT.....AGAIN

AFC Chester's second attempt to entertain Morecambe was again washed out at the weekend following overnight thunderstorms that continued into the Sunday morning of the match.

The AFC Chester lads instead trained for an hour on the artificial surface at County Officers.



MORECAMBE WASH OUT

AFC Chester's home game with Morecambe was washed out last weekend after the County Officers pitch was deemed unfit to play on.

Heavy rain throughout Saturday night and Sunday morning left the pitch with standing water on it and a decision was made at 11am to postpone the match.

AFC will now host Morecambe this weekend instead after Bury pulled out of their arranged fixture with the Blues due to prior engagements.



AFC Chester 1-1 Northwich (20/04/08):

In a pulsating game of football AFC Chester drew their Northern Football Supporters League match at home to Northwich Victoria.



Blackburn Rovers 3-5 AFC Chester (06/04/08):

AFC Chester travelled to Blackburn last weekend on what was a very cold Sunday afternoon with blustery snowing conditions and ran out 5-3 winners.


Northwich Victoria 4-1 AFC Chester (30/03/08):

AFC Chester somehow lost last weekend’s fixture away to Northwich Victoria despite dominating for long spells and taking the lead.


Stalybridge Celtic 4-1 AFC Chester (16/03/08):

AFC Chester travelled to FC Celtic and found themselves with only 8 men to start the game as four players became lost on the M62!!


New Mascot!

As Voted by the Players of AFC Chester our new mascot will be ...... Zippy from Rainbow (tm)

Thats right Zippy has agreed to mascot our games Zippy Has and is a fan fav for the lads who often like to impression this zipped up orange monster! ok hes not a monster hes cute :)