Senior Blues Meeting Recap: February 2026
A recap of the latest Senior Blues meeting, held on 6th February 2026.
Chairman Chris opened yet another well attended meeting with around 70 members well furnished with tea, coffee and biscuits, keenly awaiting presentations from the Club media officer Tom Bird, and CWAC Councillor Richard Beacham. And they weren’t disappointed (I hope!).
Tom outlined his transition from a sports journalism course at the University of Central Lancashire from an internship at Chester in December 2023 to taking up the reins from Albert in July 2025.
The key role, perhaps, is managing the Club news output across the numerous social media platforms used by the various demographics following the Club online. It was quickly established by a non show of hands that Senior Blues manage without the joys of Tiktok. Tom’s coverage includes transfer announcements, interviewing, marketing, website content and match information. There is an intention to increase both video and nostalgia content and to creatively improve the output across all the platforms.
The importance of media volunteers such as the Seals Live commentary team and photographers was also emphasised.
Tom lives in Wolverhampton and in the absence of Seals Live commentators in the recent away game at Spennymoor he stepped in with a solo commentary as well as the usual X updates, match report and Cal’s interview, finally arriving home after 3.30am. And he also has the misfortune of being a Wolves supporter. Ah, the joys of working at a fan owned Club.
In a Q&A, Tom agreed to look at improving away travel announcements, considered that the Seal (Dave Powell) was a valuable independent source of club news, and he also explained how certain announcements such as transfers were organised in conjunction with the other club and the CFU Board.
Your humble scribe was so interested in Tom’s contribution that he failed to take a live-action photo, so for many readers our media officer still remains anonymous.
After 12 years as a member of CWaC, Cllr Richard Beacham declared that there were always things to improve but felt lucky to live in Chester.
His illustrated talk focused on Chester’s One City Plan, an on going project that began in 2012 and is scheduled to continue until 2045. He explained that it was not a rigid plan but a direction of travel with many key elements dependent on completion of a prior stage. For example, the market development depended on the movement of the bus exchange. Now both have been completed, inner city housing can be progressed.
He admitted that the pace of change might indeed seem slow but contrasted the Council opposition to the presence of the Platinum Lounge on the Rows over 10 years ago (and fears of becoming a stag/hen party city) to seeing the opening of Harrods as a massive encouragement for other businesses in the fight against high street decline and makes the city a more desirable place to live and to invest in.
Richard went on to describe some of the 45 elements of the One City Plan and yet again your humble scribe neglected photographic duties (and even note taking) and listened with interest.
One major success is Storyhouse which includes the library with the longest opening hours in the world, whilst an accompanying arts facility will be opened on Northgate Street in conjunction with the University. Also on Northgate street, the old Barclays Bank will become an additional Cathedral facility. Some of the major components in the pipeline are the railway station development, the City Gateway,
Smart Chester (which includes improving the mobile signal), Invest Chester (including the Dee House/amphitheatre problem). For those interested, all the projects from 2012 onwards are detailed on the One City website.
In a lively Q&A, Richard field questions on a multiplicity of topics including Park and Ride, street parking and empty shops on St Werburgh Street, and could probably have carried on for much longer but for the fact he had to leave at 12.15 for another meeting.
In other Senior Blues business, Martin reminded members that the majority of our income is channelled towards the Academy with an annual target of £5K. Whilst thanking them for their continued contributions such as for the raffle and teas and coffees, he asked for fundraising ideas.
As a member of the Community Trust Board he also called for members to consider volunteering to serve on the Trust Board or indeed the CFU Board where there are also vacancies. As a fan owned Club we are entirely dependent on volunteers to fulfil these roles.
Geoff updated members on Senior Blues trips, the next one being to the Hill Dickinson (Everton) on March 18. Coach leaves the Deva Stadium at 10.45am.
NEXT MEETING
Friday March 6th. Guest Speakers:
- General Manager Albert Davies
- Former Players John Kelly and Graham Abel.