Chester look for final push to reach £125,000 goal in pursuit of success in a crazy football landscape
Boost the Budget comes to a close tonight as Phil Parkinson era begins
The pros and cons of Chester being a fan-owned football club have long been debated.
At a time when American millionaires curiously see some kind of growth return in investing in the lower echelons of English football, Chester’s model continues to be challenged.
The word ‘sustainability’ gets thrown around. Is it sustainable from a competitive aspect to be a fan owned club in 2026? But is it sustainable to spend far in excess of your income to try and achieve success with fan bases that cannot support such a cost if it ever has to fall on their broad shoulders. If anything, Chester are the very epitome of sustainability in football.
The pros and cons are for another day, and there will always be another debate to be had around the subject. But as the Blues returned to pre-season training at the King George V Sports Hub on Tuesday, a £2m facility that seemed like pie in the sky throughout the years of chaos ridden private ownership, fan power has been required once again.
Tonight, England continue on their World Cup journey in North America. A collection of superstars, all paid handsomely for their club roles, will seek to take another step at a World Cup that has never been so profoundly about the money and what FIFA can squeeze out of the game and its fans.
Chester operates on the other side of the coin. Boost The Budget has been one of the most important initiatives in the reformed club’s history, and this year’s effort closes tonight. The target was £125,000 to try and give Blues boss Phil Parkinson the funds to bring in the players he feels give the club the best chance of success.
Dan Ward arrived from South Shields on a two-year deal this afternoon. His signing helped made possible by Boost The Budget donations.
For Chester, a final push before the finish line is being urged.
“It can’t be overstated just how important it is to us,” Blues boss Parkinson told The Seal.
“Our fans are our biggest strength, 100%. Being fan owned isn’t our weakness, it is our strength. Everyone is invested in the success, it means so much more than it does to many others because the fans have made it happen.
“Our supporters make the difference. They make us stronger. It’s hard to ask for more all the time, and whatever people can commit is fantastic. Every penny is important to us to make sure we maximise what we can do here.
“We all want to be successful, and I’m here to try and make that happen. The Boost the Budget is one of the biggest things that fans can do to help that task. It could be the difference maker. A player added at the right time could make the difference between us potentially winning the league or winning the play-offs, and rest assured that winning is what we are focused on here.
“It is a difficult request to ask more, but whatever can be done can make a huge impact here in ways you might not imagine.”
With Chester moving towards a model that is aiming to provide the infrastructure and surroundings for players with potential to thrive, Blues vice-chairman Green was full of praise for what has been done so far to raise more than £100,000.
“I think the success of Boost the Budget is a credit to everyone at the football club,” Green told The Seal.
“Ultimately, the nature of fan ownership means that it’s our responsibility as supporters and owners to fund the club in whatever form we do that, whether that’s through season tickets, matchday admission, lottery, going to the club shop, and Boost the Budget has become an integral part of that.
“I think we know we’ve upped the ante with the £125,000 target, but it’s getting ever, ever more competitive in the National League North and clubs are certainly increasing what they’re spending. I think Boost the Budget is the best means for us to do that as supporters.
“So, you know, for us to break the £100,000 mark again is an incredible, fantastic achievement. If we can get to £125,000, that’d be outstanding, and if we don’t quite make it, then we shouldn’t be disappointed. We should still be really proud that in what are very testing financial times for a lot of people, a lot of our supporters, the fact that people are willing to put their hand in their pocket and support their football club financially is something that makes me really proud.
“I think where Boost the Budget has been really, really helpful, and look, if we can beat £125,000, it will be even more helpful, is just helping us try and get those last bits of the puzzle together, if you like, for the squad. That last little bit of experience. I think Dan Ward is a really good example of that. A player that’s played at the top end of this division, played in the division above and done really well. A player who has got a lot of character, brings a lot of experience, but also probably at a kind of peak point in his career. A player that I think will really thrive under Phil.
“But the reality is that those experienced players are the ones that command the most interest and therefore they’re the ones that are most difficult to land because everybody’s in for them.”
Chester have signed 11 players this summer, all of them on permanent deals. Some have penned two-year contracts.
The vision is that the Blues can maximise the KGV and bring players in who have a high ceiling for growth, who can develop and thrive in a system that provides them with the surroundings to do so, and a support network of staff to be able to bring the best out of them technically, tactically, physically and mentally.
“I think we have to be really clear that in appointing Phil, we’ve brought in a manager who has got a proven track record for developing players,” said Green.
“He had tremendous success at Altrincham in identifying players from lower down the pyramid, bringing them in, building them up and then moving them on.
“That has to be what we try and do at Chester. That’s something we’ve had success with in the past and I think that’s what we are. I think we are the club of opportunity for players, that they can come here, we can give them a platform, we can support them, we can develop them. Hopefully they contribute to the success at Chester. But equally, if they move on and move into the Football League, then we’ll be really proud of that. That will, in turn, have a benefit to us as a football club from transfer fees and future sell‑ons.
“I don’t think we should be shy about that. That’s the model. And I think we’re really excited about the likes of Luke Hewitson, Jake Griffin, Jack Kenny, Kofi Moore, Jefferson Abreu, all these players that have got huge ceilings. It’s up to us as a club to support them and unlock that potential. That will stand us in good stead.
“But obviously, I understand that supporters want to see experienced names and players with proven pedigree. I think we’ve added some real quality, experienced additions. But I’m sure Phil would be keen to add a bit more experience to the group if he can. That’s where Boost the Budget will maybe just allow us to get that one or two extra players in before the start of the season.”
Fans wishing to pledge to the club’s Boost the Budget initiative can do so by following THIS LINK.
The club expects to reveal its total in the coming days, likely by the weekend, once the Board have reconciled and accounted or all relevant related income streams for the initiative.