Versatile veteran Sam Foley joins Chester after Barrow exit

Blues have added 39-year-old, who can play centre midfield or centre back

Sam Foley has joined Chester (MILLIE JOHNSON)

Chester have signed experienced veteran midfielder Sam Foley to a one-year deal.

The 39-year-old central midfielder, who can also comfortably play at centre back, joins the Blues having left Barrow at the end of last season, a club where he played 123 EFL games over four years, including seven last season, and where he served as interim manager for the final months of the 2025/26 season.

Foley brings vast experience to a young Chester side, with his spells at Newport County, Yeovil Town, Northampton Town, Motherwell, St Mirren, Tranmere Rovers, Barrow and others, have seen him play some 664 senior appearances in professional football in a career that began at Cheltenham Town in 2006.

While his age may raise some eyebrows given the profile of the Blues squad under new manager Phil Parkinson, it is his enormous experience, leadership and skill set on the field that Parkinson feels will prove invaluable, and his versatility in being an option at both central midfield and centre back will be a major boon for what will be a small Chester squad.

“I’d like to welcome Sam to the group, who brings experience, leadership and real know-how to the dressing room,” said Parkinson.

“He gives us flexibility as well, with the ability to play in central midfield, centre-back and right-back. He has a fantastic understanding of the game from a number of different positions.

“Sam will be a huge asset for our younger professionals and for those who haven’t spent much time in a full-time environment. They’ll have someone they can learn from, lean on and watch every single day.

“I expect our younger players to use him, ask questions, listen to him and take as much as they possibly can from him because those experiences are invaluable. I think it’s a fantastic signing for Chester Football Club, both on and off the pitch.”

With Jack Bainbridge potentially missing for a number of weeks, having Foley in the building gives Parkinson vital options in central midfield areas, with Dan Ward and Declan Weeks also there. He also gives the option for an experience head at centre back, with the Blues back line this season having been big on talent and promise but perhaps short on experience, having looked in need of an older head. In Foley, the Blues certainly have that, and despite turning 40 this year, the St Albans-born veteran has kept himself in excellent physical condition, having been a regular starter at League Two level for the past five years until the second half of last season.

Foley is Chester’s 12th signing of the summer, joining Luke Hewitson, George Burroughs, Jack Kenny, Jake Griffin, Sam Reed, Kofi Moore, Dominic McHale, Jefferson Abreu, Billy Waters, Dan Ward and Jacob Hazel all having arrived at the Deva Community Stadium during the close season.

Chester begin their pre-season schedule at Vauxhall Motors tomorrow afternoon (Saturday, July 11, 3pm kick off). Parkinson is expected to field two separate sides for each half to get minutes into the legs of his squad.