Club seals BiG deal

ONE of Chester FC’s key sponsors has agreed a new two-year deal with the club.

BiG Storage extended the 12-month contract it signed last June as recognition of the huge progress the Blues have made.

Andrew Donaldson, partner at BiG Storage, said: “When we decided to support the new club last summer there was an element of risk involved but we thought it important to make a statement of intent as the club needed all the support it could get.

“What a difference a season makes! Now the club is one of the hottest sponsorship opportunities in the sub-region and it was a no-brainer to sign a two-year commitment.”

BiG Storage’s involvement with reborn Chester began before they had even kicked a ball with the donation of the BiG Deva rhino which featured in the city’s Rhino Mania project.

Soon after the initial one-year sponsorship deal was penned, the company created the club’s massively popular mascot BiG Lupus.

Blues director Steve Ashton said: “To have BiG Storage, a highly regarded award-wining company, renew and extend their commitment to the club clearly demonstrates what a great community product we have at Chester FC.

“Hopefully it will further encourage other local businesses to support us.”

Win a season ticket

YOUNG Chester FC supporters are being asked to put their artistic talents to the test.

Members of the Junior Blues have been invited to take part in a T-shirt designing competition which will be judged by captain George Horan and goal-machine Michael Wilde.

The top two entries will each win season tickets with the overall winning design being made into the official Junior Blues T-shirt for the 2011-12 campaign.

The overall winner will also be presented with their finished design on the pitch by judges Horan and Wilde.

Entries can be sent to Junior Blues Competition, Chester FC, Exacta Stadium, Bumpers Lane, Chester, CH1 4LT or emailed to juniorblues@cityfansunited.com

Closing date is Sunday, July 31.

Junior Blues officials have exciting plans for the season ahead.

Now headed up by Sylvia Whelan following the retirement of Dave Cartwright, the under 16s arm of the City Fans United supporters group believe the new initiatives will help them build on their 400-strong membership.

Membership costs £5.

Signings wow Reed

NEIL Young’s summer recruitment drive has left new Chester FC striker Mark Reed impressed.

Reed, 29, is one of nine new faces to arrive at the Exacta Stadium since the Blues won promotion to the Evo-Stik League Premier Division – the most exciting of which he believes could be winger Jerome Wright.

“I played against some of the lads last year and I’m really looking forward to playing alongside them this term,” said Reed, who played in the Evo-Stik Premier for Buxton last season.

“Jerome Wright is a phenomenal player and a real handful at this level and always stood out for FC United.

“It has been really exciting watching the manager assemble such a quality squad over the past month or so and we’ll have the quality to be battling at the top of the table.”

PE teacher Reed, who lives in Ellesmere Port and counts Vauxhall Motors among his old clubs, is Buxton’s all-time leading scorer with 191 goals in 317 appearances.

Tweets from players

CHESTER FC players have taken to Twitter to keep fans up to speed with their pre-season progress.

After Tuesday’s session on the track at The Oval in Bebington, midfielder Michael Powell tweeted: “One week into pre-season and I’m feeling good.”

But new right-back Liam Brownhill tweeted: “Knee is sore after yesterday’s track work. Couldn’t pull through the last 2,400m.”

CFU need stall help

BLUES fans are needed to help man the City Fans United stall which will be present at the Chester Rocks music festival at Chester Racecourse this weekend.

Those who can spare a few hours on Saturday or Sunday, between noon and 10.30pm, should email media@cityfansunited.com