Chester City FC: Double blow for Chester City supporters as Darlington find buyer and owner Stephen Vaughan reveals club could be put into administration by the weekend

CHESTER City owner Stephen Vaughan has revealed that the club could be put into administration by the weekend.

He also told The Chronicle that liquidation-threatened Darlington had found an investor, ending the hopes of all Blues fans that an unlikely reprieve from relegation would emerge.

Vaughan is currently reviewing City’s finances in light of the club dropping out of the Football League and says that a decision to bring administrators into the Deva Stadium could be made imminently.

“We will making the decision over the next couple of days whether to put the club into administration to safeguard its future,” he said.

“We have only seven contracted players at the moment and we have got the club by the scruff of the neck now. We are also taking stock of the finances and of the losses we have suffered over the last eight years.”

Putting the club into administration could result in the Blues starting the 2009-10 season with a 10-point deficit.

Vaughan, who is still looking for a buyer after he put the club up for sale in December last year, also said Darlington had found an unknown backer to save them from going bust.

Had they gone into liquidation before the end of the Football League play-offs then Darlington would have lost their place in League Two and be replaced by the Blues.

If it is confirmed that the Quakers have found a new buyer then Chester’s fate will be sealed and they will kick-off in August against the likes of Altrincham, Ebbsfleet United and of course Wrexham.

“We have been told that Darlington FC have found an investor so we have accepted that we are now a Conference club,” added Vaughan.

Dave Clark, of Leeds-based Brackenbury Clark and Co, is overseeing Darlington’s administration but was unavailable for comment when The Chronicle went to press.

Fans’ favourite Ryan Lowe became the latest player to formally leave Chester this week after his contract was terminated by mutual consent yesterday.

Striker Kevin Ellison, who scored eight goals in 39 league appearances last season, has joined Rotherham United. Free agent Ellison, 30, signed a two-year deal with the Millers yesterday, subject to him passing a medical examination. He is manager Mark Robins first signing of the summer.

Vaughan confirmed that more players would follow out of the Deva Stadium exit door as part of a summer clearout designed to afford manager Mark Wright the opportunity to make new signings.