No new derby date

POLICE have given the green light for the first derby of the season between Chester FC and Wrexham to be moved to a new date for live television coverage – but as of yesterday the eagerly awaited Racecourse clash was still set to take place on Saturday, August 31.

On Monday the Football Conference announced the first four Conference Premier games to be shown live on BT Sport.

The list did not include the meeting between the fierce rivals.

But a Conference spokesperson added: “There is still one fixture from the first eight rounds of fixtures that is being negotiated.

“It is possible this match may be selected from the games on Saturday, August 31.”

The match in question is Chester’s trip to the Dragons.

Later on Monday a spokesperson for North Wales Police confirmed ‘a request has been made to move the game to an alternative date for live TV coverage’, adding that they would ‘have no objections to the request’.

The Chronicle understands the alternative date given to the police was an evening kick-off on Monday, September 2.

But Wrexham were not keen on that date as their first-choice goalkeeper Joslain Mayebi could be away on international duty with Cameroon.

Blues and Dragons officials are now waiting to see if the Conference and BT Sport come back with a new date.

The first four Conference Premier matches to be shown live on BT Sport will be: Sunday, August 11 – Cambridge United v FC Halifax Town (noon); Monday, August 26 – Hyde v Grimsby Town (5.30pm); Saturday, September 7 – Luton Town v Grimsby Town (5.30pm); Friday, September 13 – Wrexham v Luton Town (7.45pm).

The Chronicle understands BT Sport were keen to move Chester’s opener at Edgar Davids’ Barnet to Sunday, August 11.

But the match will now go-ahead, as planned, on Saturday, August 10 (3pm).

‘Hero’ Young hailed

NEIL Young was a winner at the Dee 106.3 Local Hero Awards.

The Chester FC boss, who had led the club to three straight promotions, received the Special Achievement Award on a humbling evening at the Mercure Hotel in Christleton last Thursday.

Young said: “First of all I’d like to congratulate all the people who have won awards – they put mine into perspective.

“We’ve had three seasons of phenomenal success and I’d like to thank my staff and all the players who have played for me.

“We’re a fan-owned, volunteer-run club and to say we can now play our football back in the Conference – where the old club was before – is fantastic.”

Young was nominated for the award by Chester’s chairman Tony Durkin.

He said: “I think you and your coaching staff thoroughly deserve the award for your achievements for Chester Football Club over the past three seasons.

“It’s been unprecedented what you’ve achieved. Three promotions would have been something special but three championships has been out of this world.

“I would like to think I speak on behalf of the board and all the fans at Chester Football Club in saying thank you very much for what you’ve done for us.

“It has really made such a difference to the progress of the club.”

Dragon’s backing

THE Blues have been tipped for a promotion push in their debut Conference Premier campaign – by a Wrexham fans’ favourite.

Neil Ashton has been impressed by Neil Young’s summer signings and thinks his former club could be ‘there or thereabouts’ come the end of the season.

The Dragons left-back, who was part of the last-ever Chester City squad, said: “The club has changed completely since I was there.

“They’ve dropped down the divisions and have done well to come back up so quickly.

“They’re signing a lot of good players and I expect them to be there or thereabouts.

“I expect a couple of feisty games against them. It will be good to have the derby back.”

Chester FC – the fan-owned phoenix club formed following the demise of Chester City in March 2010 – have won three successive promotions to reach the top flight of non-league in the fastest time possible.

Wrexham missed out on a return to the Football League last season after losing the Conference Premier play-off final to Newport County.

Ashton, a virtual ever present for the Dragons in his three-year spell at the club, said: “We need to bounce back this season – and bounce back hard.”