‘wE NEARLY LOST OUR CLUB’. MIKE VICKERS ON THE FALL AND RECOVERY OF CHESTER FC
Fair Game’s Steven Piper takes a closer look at life and times at the Deva Stadium
FOR MIKE VICKERS, Chester FC has always been more than just a football club. “It’s been the constant in my life,” he says. A supporter since the age of 13 and a season ticket holder since he was 16, Vickers has followed Chester through every stage of its recent history—including the most difficult period in its existence.
That turning point came in 2008, in a moment that still resonates. “There was a minute’s silence held for someone with a serious criminal record. It felt like the values of the club were slipping away,” he recalls. “You could sense things weren’t right.”
Soon after, the situation unravelled further. Financial instability, a controversial change in ownership, and a growing disconnect from the local fanbase led Chester City FC into a downward spiral. “There was investment early on, but it didn’t last. It felt increasingly disconnected from its community,” Vickers says.
Relegation from the Football League in 2009, followed by a 25-point deduction for entering administration, left supporters fearing the worst. “It felt like things had gone beyond repair. There was a real sense of helplessness.”
The response from fans, however, was far from passive. Vickers recalls how many supporters chose to boycott games in protest against the ownership and governance of the club. “People were angry but organised. It wasn’t just about results anymore—it was about trying to protect something important.”
The wider Chester community, he says, may not have felt the impact as strongly, but for those closely tied to the club, the experience was deeply felt. “There’s a small, committed core of supporters who were always going to care. For them, it wasn’t just football—it was part of their identity.”
Much of the anger centred around ownership. “There were no proper checks in place,” Vickers says. “The ownership had a history of financial issues elsewhere. It raised serious questions about how clubs are regulated and who is allowed to take control.”
Chester City eventually folded in 2010. But from that collapse came a new beginning. Supporters founded Chester FC - fan-owned, rooted in the local community, and committed to sustainable governance.
The legacy of that period still shapes the club today. The Deva Stadium has seen reductions in capacity, and the club operates within tighter financial limits. “We’re sustainable now, but it’s clear that we’re unlikely to return to the higher divisions without major changes in the structure of the game.”
In the years since, Chester FC has prioritised financial stability and community accountability. “We’ve had setbacks—hiring a CEO that didn’t work out, for example - but we’re no longer vulnerable to the kind of collapse we saw before. We’re no longer reliant on a single owner.”
Vickers is supportive of calls for stronger regulation in football. He backs proposals for an independent football regulator and improved ownership tests, such as those advocated by the Fair Game initiative. “We need more proactive oversight. These issues can’t keep being ignored. It shouldn’t take a club collapsing before action is taken.”
Looking back, he reflects with a mixture of sadness and quiet pride. He adds that the emotional legacy is equally significant. “There’s a generational divide now. Older supporters remember the better times and still talk about them, but for younger fans, this version of the club is all they’ve ever known. That shared sense of loss still lingers, but so does a sense of resilience.”
This article is part of a special series highlighting the voices of fans, clubs, and communities at the very time the Football Governance Bill is making its way through Parliament.