Wyll Stanway joins Barrow AFC

    Chester FC can confirm that goalkeeper Wyll Stanway has joined League Two side Barrow for an undisclosed fee.

    The 23-year-old has enjoyed a successful season with the Blues, playing every minute of the campaign and keeping an excellent 22 clean sheets.

    At our Awards Evening on Saturday, Wyll was named the Away Travel Player of the Season for 2023/24. His progress through the season also saw him recognised at international level, being capped by England C.

    Stanway initially joined the Blues in January 2022 from Lancaster City and made 11 appearances during 2021/22. He started each of the final five games of the campaign and kept four clean sheets in the process.

    He then spent the 2022/23 campaign out on loan at three different clubs, the latter of which seeing him win Championship gold with Macclesfield.

    Stanway now joins a Bluebirds side who finished 8th last season, just one point behind eventual Play-Off winners Crawley Town.

    Manager Calum McIntyre said: “Firstly, I want to congratulate Wyll on earning himself this terrific opportunity to progress into the EFL, particularly with his hometown club.

    “He has had a superb season and quite rightly his performances have been recognised further up the pyramid.

    Wyll’s commitment this campaign has been incredible given some logistical challenges and it is important to recognise the significant contribution his parents have made in supporting him.

    I would also like to pay testament to our Goalkeeper Coach, Neil Ebbrell, who has worked relentlessly with Wyll. Neil was an important acquisition for us and his work is already yielding results on and off the pitch.

    “Over the past two years, we have worked hard on how we operate as a football department and I am pleased that the proactive nature of how we handled Wyll’s contract situations both in 2022 and in 2024 have seen us receive a transfer fee for him.

    “There has always been a strange culture around our club when we use the phrase “undisclosed” in that there is an assumption that the fee is insignificant. I can assure our supporters that we have received a significant fee which I hope to be given the opportunity to reinvest in the squad. The sale of players for these type of fees needs to be a significant part of the club’s model.

    “We always understood we might lose Wyll and therefore we put plans in place to ensure that we can secure an adequate replacement should the need arise.

    “The work to do that is underway.”

    On behalf of all of us at Chester FC, thank you and all the best Wyll!