Davies’ survival instinct

Apr 18 2008 by David Triggs, Chester Chronicle

SIMON Davies is confident his threadbare Blues squad will beat the drop – despite axing the club’s two most experienced players this week.

Skipper Paul Butler and midfielder Tony Dinning are unlikely to play for Chester again after Davies decided to freeze them out of his plans for the remainder of the season.

The rookie Blues manager yesterday refused to reveal why the pair had been left out in the cold, but it is understood their commitment to the cause has been in question for several weeks.

Davies now finds himself desperately short on selection options, particularly as top-scorer Kevin Ellison has picked up a thigh injury that could see him miss tomorrow’s match at promotion-chasing Wycombe Wanderers. But the Chester boss feels there is enough talent left at his disposal as he strives to keep the club in the Football League.

Davies said: “John Murphy and the like can step to the fore now and drive the younger boys in the squad.

“It’s a good mix in there now, with the younger players and the older players. Together they will fight for the cause and that’s a massive plus for us. They won’t go down and they showed that massively in the second half at Hereford recently.”

Butler, 35, and Dinning, 33, have clocked up more than 1,000 career appearances between them.

Former Leeds and Sunderland defender Butler had been unlikely to play again this season due to an Achilles injury, but he was supposed to be assisting Davies with coaching duties. However, the big defender watched Saturday’s home defeat to Lincoln from the stands, while Dinning was an unused substitute.

Davies was yesterday keeping tight-lipped on his reasons for axing the pair, but he said: “Tony and Paul have been relieved of their duties until the end of the season. It’s a disciplinary matter, which we’ll keep in-house, and it’s a decision made in the best interests of the club.”

He added: “It wasn’t a personal thing from me, it wasn’t a personal attack. It was just for the club and making sure we stay in the division.”

Contrary to reports earlier this week, Butler and Dinning have not been officially suspended by the Blues – merely frozen out.

A spokesman for the PFA said: “The PFA can confirm that following discussions with Chester City FC, Paul Butler and Tony Dinning have not been suspended.”

The pair are still being paid by the club.