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Wrexham v Chester
On reflection, can any Football League ‘derby’ command a police operation of around 400 officers for an all-ticket game for under 6,000 shoe-horned into Chester’s Deva Stadium? The 2005/2006 season has provided the first league fixtures between the two sides for over a decade. Both games have already been subject to controversial restrictions by the clubs’ safety committees. The game at Chester’s Deva Stadium, which was postponed due to frost, was rescheduled for an unprecedented noon kick-off on a normal working day despite the usual all-ticket restrictions. The return fixture at crisis-torn Wrexham has seen Chester’s away allocation whittled down to just 1900 from a possible 3,000.
The Wrexham versus Chester City fixture has gained a reputation of notoriety, which has managed to continue since the dark day’s when soccer hooliganism was at a height in the Eighties. The massive security operation has arguably been over-the-top…but arguably justified. This fixture also has the extra ingredient of ‘Wales versus England’ thrown in for good measure – a sure recipe for banter! Games between the two sides have been far and few between in recent years due to separation by divisions in the football pyramid. Wrexham’s relegation to League Two pairs the two sides for a first League meeting in 10 years. Since then the two arch-rivals have sparred against each other in cup games at Chester’s ground, in the FA Cup (1997) and the LDV Vans Trophy in 2004/2005. Both fixtures were won by Wrexham – some say on and off the field of play. Apart from the history of football related disorder, it must also be stated that some good-natured rivalry also takes place in the workplace and local pub! FA Cup 1997
In
fairness, it must be stated that the usual local media frenzy before such
games has not helped matters, and one wonders if the local press would
have been disappointed if the meetings between the two clubs had passed
off quietly without incident.
Chester Railway Station
LDV Vans Trophy 2004 Imagine everyone's delight - especially at Cheshire Police H.Q - when Chester City v Wrexham came out of the hat for a 2004/2005 LDV Vans Trophy Q/F game at Chester? Despite the necessary heavy policing, football associated disorder broke out before and after the game.
2005/2006 First League meeting for a decade Wrexham became relegated to the basement of the Football League after of-field problems and a 10-point deduction for going into administration. This meant our first league meeting with our closest and dearest for just over a decade. The first game due to be played at Chester’s’ Deva Stadium was a noon kick-off on an unprecedented normal working day – all-ticket of course! But the fixture fell victim to the frost and was actually played after the return fixture. The game at The Racecourse was played not unexpectedly at 12noon on a Sunday. Both games produced only five arrests due to robust and efficient policing. Four-Four-Two magazine followed the games as part of their ‘More than a game’ series. Here below are some of the pictures from the magazine. Other pictures can be viewed at the Onttss gallery
To be continued... Onttss does not condone hooliganism. It just gives an honest opinion of the Wrexham v Chester game as seen by the author. Please do not hot-link to any photographs - thanks! |
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