The NLP says… The Chester mess is so sad to see

By Alex Narey
Friday, August 5, and for some fans the writing was on the wall before a ball had even been kicked in this season's campaign.
With travel fares already confirmed and paid for to Birmingham for their opening-day fixture at , news filtered through less than 24 hours before that the game had been postponed. Safety measures had not been met and the National League had no option on the matter.
And there it was, while everyone else got their season off and running in the blazing summer sunshine, Chester were stuck in the mud… and they just never got going after that.
On the pitch, there were a few highlights early doors, but after limping over the finishing line last season following an abysmal run of results, you sensed this was a club running on empty with only its reputation giving it any credit.
Jon McCarthy was sacked and Marcus Bignot appointed, and while hopes were raised with victory in his first game, he couldn't halt the slide as the club battled financial issues and upheaval in the boardroom. I hate to be overly critical, but this isn't far off being the blueprint for how not to run a club.
There are supporters who will run through a brick wall to defend their club, but the actions of the Chester board this week have tested the patience of even the most loyal Blues fans.
Relegated last weekend, the fate of Marcus Bignot had already been confirmed with the announcement that the former Grimsby chief would leave the Deva at the end of the season.
Or so we thought! Following an academy match on Wednesday evening, Bignot was sacked in the club's car park. It was an utterly graceless way to treat a man with a track record that Chester can only dream of replacing next year as they slug it out in the bull ring that is the .
Speaking in an interview with The last week, I admired Bignot for having the courage to come out and offer a few home truths about the goings on behind the scenes.
He spoke with great honesty and integrity, offering a damning assessment that with the benefit of hindsight he wouldn't have taken the job at Chester if he had known in September what he knew now.
His words will have no doubt rubbed the board up the wrong way. And while I have no real issue with the decision they made to not renew his contract at the end of the season or even the call to terminate it early this week, the manner in which the whole mess has been conducted reflects very poorly on what is still a wonderful football club.
The Chester job remains a highly coveted position, but a warning message has been fired to anyone with aspirations to take it on next term.
Meanwhile, from a club in crisis to a club on the up. Congratulations to after their promotion this week.
As well as the first team's impressive form on the pitch, the Rooks are a club that is bonded by the success of its academy and women's team with the community at its heart. Hats off to all!
 
*This article originally featured in The @NonLeaguePaper which is available every Sunday and Monday

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