Chester City FC: Paul Linwood urges fans to get behind Mark Wright

Feb 20 2009 by Paul Wheelock, Chester Chronicle

CAPTAIN Paul Linwood says every player in Chester City’s increasingly threadbare squad is rallying behind troubled boss Mark Wright.

And the Blues skipper last night urged fans to do the same as City embark on a two-match home run which could prove crucial in their desperate fight to avoid dropping into the non-league wilderness.

The seriousness of City’s plight was emphasised this week when the bookies made the freefalling club 13/10 second favourites to make the dreaded drop with doomed Luton.

Wright could be down to 11 fit and available professionals for tomorrow’s visit of Exeter City (3pm).

And Linwood, who will be suspended for the showdown with the play-off pushers, reckons any manager would struggle with the hand that Wright and his assistant Steve Bleasdale have been dealt.

Linwood said: “There’s nothing they can do because they’ve got limited resources. They’re trying their hardest and in my opinion they’re doing well.

“They’ve got the backing of all of the players and if there’s a small minority having a go they don’t really matter.”

Deva Stadium attendances are spiralling downwards towards the 1,000 mark.

Linwood, who will return for the clash with Dagenham and Redbridge a week tomorrow, paid tribute to the 327 hardy souls who made the trip to Shrewsbury on Tuesday to see Chester slip to their sixth League Two loss in a row.

And he believes such impassioned support will be vital tomorrow as the Blues bid to end a 10-game winless run which stretches back to Boxing Day.

Linwood said: “We need a 12th man on Saturday. The home fans and the majority of the away fans have been brilliant all season.

“They’ve stuck by us and I remember walking off at Shrewsbury on Tuesday and the fans were clapping us off which was really nice to see and we want to repay them.

“We need a good crowd on Saturday as these next two home games are really important.”

City boss Wright was this morning hoping to be given the green light to bring in much-needed reinforcements to bolster his over-stretched squad. Club owner Stephen Vaughan claims he has cleared all football-related debts, which should lead to the transfer embargo which has been placed on the club by the Football League being lifted.

Vaughan is willing to sanction up to five new signings, although it may not be possible to complete any deals in time for tomorrow's Exeter game.

The Blues owner said: "All our football creditors have now been paid, which clears the way for us to bring new players into the club. We would like to bring five new players to the Deva Stadium in the next few days, and all we are waiting for now is for the Football League to give us the green light."