Chester chairman Andy Morris issues a bankrupt claim fearing the club could go out of business after giving extraordinary an interview.
This comes with a dispute that could seem them made to play behind closed doors due to their location on the England and Wales border, as explained on Friday.
The National League North outfit have been warned they may have breached Welsh coronavirus regulations by hosting crowds at two matches over the festive period.
The club’s ground sit on the border, with the front gates, car park and main office door in England but the pitch in Wales.
Sporting events in Wales must be being played behind closed doors after new rules to prevent the spread of the Omicron variant came into force on Boxing Day.
There are currently no restrictions in England and Chester’s home matches against Fylde and Telford on the 28th of December 28 and January 2nd were attended by crowds of 2,075 and 2,116.
Since those matches, the club have been informed by North Wales Police and Flintshire County Council they may have broken Welsh Government rules and they would be risking doing so again by hosting more crowds.
The club, who consider themselves English with an English registered address, are now fearing the potential consequences and are seeking legal advice.
Chairman Andy Morris told the PA news agency: “As a club we rely on gate receipts. If the enforcement is we have to play behind closed doors, we are not a Welsh club so we are not entitled to the financial support.
“The entire future of the club could be in doubt. There is no financial support for English clubs playing behind closed doors at the moment. It could be the end of the club.
“The fact the stadium is on the border has been a quiz question for generations but, sadly, it’s a quiz question that has become a point of law rather than a novelty fact.
“There is a bit of disbelief really that the Welsh governance is trying to impose something that is not technically clear.
“I don’t think there is any clear jurisdiction in terms of which rules apply but we have been acting within English legislation since the stadium was built in 1992.
“While acknowledging the border runs through the stadium, the club, for 30 years, has been treated as English with the registered address in England.
“On a matchday, the policing around the stadium has always been Cheshire Police. Our safety certificate, fire, ambulance have always been handled by Cheshire.
“The entry to the car park and the main entrance to the stadium is in England. We are affiliated to the English FA and throughout Covid the main grants and supports we have accessed have been through the English system.
“It is amazing that, all of a sudden, we have found out we are Welsh.”
Chester discovered there was an issue after being invited to a meeting along with representatives of North Wales Police, Flintshire County Council, Cheshire Police and Cheshire West & Chester Council.
The club revealed in a statement to supporters this had been brought about “upon direction from the Welsh Government”.
Chester hope the matter can be quickly resolved to avoid an expensive legal case.
Morris said: “We are taking legal advice but for a fan-owned club to go to war against the Welsh Government and Welsh police would be using money raised by supporters to keep the club going during Covid. We are hoping common sense does prevail.”
A joint statement from North Wales Police and Flintshire County Council read: “Discussions around Chester FC’s recently-played home fixtures remain ongoing between North Wales Police and our partner agencies.
“North Wales Police and Cheshire Police, along with representatives from Flintshire County Council, are working together to review and investigate the matches played at Chester’s stadium on December 28 and January 2, following reports of Covid regulation breaches.
“Further meetings have been arranged between North Wales Police, Cheshire Police, Flintshire County Council and Chester FC officials to discuss the situation further and we will issue an update in due course.”
⚽️ @ChesterFC could face sanctions for breaching Covid rules by having too many fans at games. The ground is technically in Wales where spectator numbers are capped at 50. Jim Green is the club’s Vice Chairman, he’s given us his reaction to the situation #CapitalReports pic.twitter.com/Epozvb32rh
— Capital North West News (@CapitalNWNews) January 7, 2022
Twitter users reacted as the Chester chairman issues a bankrupt claim after giving the extraordinary interview…
@alfiesdad1: Appreciate it’s easier said than done but surely the answer to this issue is to get the border moved so that the ground is in England. Welsh authorities would probably welcome handing all responsibilities to CWAC. Matches are policed by Cheshire anyway so the Welsh involvement is purely administrative.
@haloharry69: Interesting that precedent was set 12 months ago and I assume that NWP and Flintshire Council let events of Dec 2020 lie, so why now? Excellent interview @jimcgreen
@bav40: If its upheld I reckon the Welsh FA must owe Chester a lot of historical grants, be a 50,000 seater stadium before you know it 🏟️😂
@neil_avery: I’m sure Flintshire County Council and NWP have got more important things to spend my Council tax on
@_LewisParsons: why do we have to follow the welsh guidelines when we have always been following the english guidelines. #chesterfc
@jonathanbkr: Surely if they are covered by Cheshire Council and pay taxes/rates to Cheshire then it is their guidance that should be followed, not Wales just because part of the ground happens to be in Wales, otherwise they’d have to follow 2 sets of rules. One set for the half in Cheshire
@FussballJames: This whole situation is completely farcical but we couldn’t ask for better people to be representing the club. Got full faith in @AndrewM21863757 and @jimcgreen here
@AdamDandy: Very impressive response by Jim Green @ChesterFC here, @FlintshireCC @NWPolice surely if the club have been following English Covid rules, inc when restrictions where tighter, then this English club should be allowed to continue with that precedent? @DavidJonesMP @ChrisM4Chester
@banks247: Thanks to @jimcgreen and @AndrewM21863757 for putting our views out there in various places on Friday. What a farcical situation our club has been put in. Great support too from @Chris_Matheson. #UTS #ChesterFC
@Gazzpash: As a Chester fan I can say we are disgusted by this. Only reason was brought forward was a Wrexham fan journalist crying to Wales FA out of jealousy. The stadium is registered in England, they aren’t permitted into any Welsh FA tournaments or grants so can’t have it both ways
@jones_tina: Typically the Welsh Government gave Chester City no guidance at all when they brought these restrictions in, obviously no one thought about them, absolutely farcical again @WelshGovernment let us fans back in to support all our clubs in the outdoors with fresh air
@beardywxm: It’s not apparantly in Wales, It most certainly is in Wales, they were quick enough to take the hands out from the Welsh Government during the first lockdown. You can’t have it both ways.
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