Senior Blues Meeting Recap: October 2024
Having failed a fitness test, your regular correspondent was replaced at short notice from the subs bench by Committee member Colin who has surely staked a claim for a regular starting spot with the following words of wisdom.
The latest meeting kicked off with another of John Bithell’s brain-teasing quizzes. Those hoping to win needed to know, amongst other things, the herbal ingredient of classic pesto sauce; to whom the tabloid press were referring in the 1950’s when they used the headline “Egghead marries the Hourglass”; and which Chester player once scored five goals in a match*. The victorious team were duly awarded some tubes of Smarties.
Club director Mike Vickers then spoke to us about the Fair Game movement – of which Chester is a participant member. Currently 32 clubs are active, of which 13 are in the Football League – they include Luton Town, Tranmere and Shrewsbury. We were reminded of the recent Fair Game Index which ranks clubs based on a variety of criteria: Financial Sustainability; Governance; Equality and Ethical Standards, and Fan and Community Engagement. Chester were ranked top of the National League North by these standards although there is still room for improvement.
Mike spoke passionately about holding politicians to account to make sure they approve an Independent Regulator for football with power to act, and he spoke too on the existence of a north/south divide in football as well as in the national economy. He even persuaded Fair Game to hold their first national conference at Chester last year. (I remember it well. A double booking of the Boardroom forced us to hold our committee meeting in the press room from where we watched the assembled luminaries gather in the stand for the obligatory photograph.- Les)
Next honoured guest was Jimmy Redfern, former Chester player over the period 1973-77, and part of the side which won a first ever promotion for the club in 1975. Mike Vickers was not alone in the room in remembering Jimmy crossing from the right wing at Crewe for Stuart Mason to score with a diving header in the final game of the season which effectively sealed that promotion. Jimmy went on to further his career in America, playing for Washington Diplomats under former Manchester United player Dennis Viollet. He played in his most memorable game against New York Cosmos in what was to be Pele’s last official League match before his retirement. Pele scored a penalty for Cosmos only goal whilst Jimmy scored both of Washington’s as they emerged victorious.
The room was entertained by some amusing banter between Jimmy and Grenville Millington (a contemporary of his at Chester) when recounting how Ken Roberts persuaded him to sign for the Blues by offering three times above the amount payed to everyone else under the strict wage structure (“Just don’t tell anyone else” whispered Ken). Grenville feigned outrage but we think he knew what Ken Roberts was like. Anyway, Gren’s hoping to invite Jimmy and other team mates to a game in the near future to commemorate their ’74-75 League Cup exploits. Where have the last fifty years gone?
It was another highly enjoyable occasion.
*(basil; Arthur Miller and Marilyn Monroe; Barry Jepson v York 8 Feb 1958 respectively)
Next Meeting. Friday 1st November Senior Blues AGM plus Guest Speaker Dave Powell Football finance correspondent for Reach plc and co-host of the Women’s Football Finance Podcast (and ex Chester Chronicle football reporter).
Those members who have not yet renewed are reminded that annual subs of only £10 are due.