Grenville Millington would welcome a drive to boost the club’s playing budget but believes Chester FC fans are doing more than enough already.
Grimsby Town supporters have raised more than £40,000 for manager Paul Hurst’s transfer kitty through a crowdfunding project and Lincoln City fans have launched a similar campaign.
Chester do have a Squad Builder initiative allowing supporters to make regular donations to increase Steve Burr’s budget but the scheme does not currently generate anywhere near the same level of income as crowdfunding.
Blues chairman Millington told The Chronicle he would be wary of following Grimsby and Lincoln’s lead, pointing out that as a fan-owned club Chester already depends on supporters’ generosity.
“We are ahead of them because we’re already doing it but if the fans want to put another £40,000 into Squad Builder then fantastic and we’ll give that to the manager for the team,” said Millington.
“But our fans are already doing a lot and I’m not sure there’s much more to give: that’s not a criticism, that’s a compliment.
“Of course we want to improve on our league position and the budget has increased 10% from last season, and we’re looking at how we can be smarter with what we have.
“And one thing we are not willing to do is gamble. We will always err on the side of caution because of what has happened to the club in the past.
“I was talking to the Bristol Rovers chairman at the league’s AGM and he told he’d put £5million into his club.
“I haven’t got £5million but if I did then you wouldn’t want me to put that in and have 100% control because we’ve been there and got the t-shirt.”
Chester’s budget for the 2015-16 season is about a third of that of the division’s top spenders, which includes Forest Green Rovers, Grimsby and Tranmere Rovers.
Millington recognises the challenge that poses but the 63-year-old insists the club can more than hold its own.
He has taken inspiration from his visit to Southampton with director Brian Buns five months ago when the pair learned about the philosophy helping the Hampshire club punch above its weight in the Premier League.
“If you double the budget then it does not necessarily mean you’re going to be twice as successful,” he said.
“Of course the finances are important but they are not everything.
“We’ve got to work together and bring the each part of club closer so that we are all singing from the same hymn sheet.
“We’re working hard to make that happen and we’re getting close to finalising our club DNA and putting down what defines us and brings us together: we’re looking at words like integrity, passion and enthusiasm.
"I think we’ve made a lot of progress since October but there’s still a lot to do to get the club to where I want us to be.”
