The Good, The Bad and the Ugly of Chester City

By Nathan Jackson
December 8 2005

In the 2nd part of "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly", we talk about some of the most memorable events between the two sides. Considering the sides have met 77 times, it was difficult trying to find certain categories so we're left with a 4-1 win for City, Kevin Ellison being a prat and a 22 man brawl

 

On Saturday 23^rd October 1999, Chester travelled to Sincil Bank looking to exact revenge for the Imps’ 3-1 win at the Deva Stadium just 4 weeks prior. Chester were also searching for only their second away win of the season. Chester were to have a torrid time both that afternoon and all season, as they were inevitably relegated.

 

City opened the scoring through right back Jason Barnett before former Imp, Junior Agogo levelled the scores just before half time. Lee Thorpe restored the lead in the 59^th minute before a 75^th minute striker from John Finnigan and a final minute header from Phil Stant gave the Imps’ a well earned 4-1 victory and this result, kept Chester bottom of the table, a position they stayed in nearly all season.

Some of our results through history against Chester, haven’t exactly been flattering to the Imps, infact, City had lost 4-2, 4-0, 7-3, 6-0, 5-0, 4-1, 5-1 and another 4-1 result. However, our “bad” moment comes last season when Chester visited Sincil Bank in late September. City were 1-0 up through a goal from Francis Green when City goalkeeper, Simon Raynor was penalised for picking up a back pass, that came off an opposition player. The freekick, about 10 yards out saw ex-Imp Kevin Ellison stood over the ball. Another Chester player had his foot on the ball but then lifted it without the ball moving before Ellison absolutely belted the ball towards the goal to make it 1-1 and violent scenes followed when Ellison decided to rub it in to fans who had loved him just 4 months earlier/

 

Our ugly moment against Chester comes as a result of EXTENSIVE research and the moment comes from the 1931/2 meeting Chester. In a promotion season for the Imps, it almost fell apart on Christmas day when the two teams met. Halfway through the second half, a bad tackle from Chester player, Michael Wrigley on Allan Hall, resulted in a full 22 man brawl which went on for about 5 or 6 minutes. The referee actually walked off the pitched at one point before returning and although no players were sent off, virtually every shirt was covered in blood due to the melee, for the record, Chester won 2-1.