Anthony Johnson believes the donation of £1million to Chester FC represents a fresh start for the football club.

After so much turmoil towards the end of last season, where a financial crisis, boardroom upheaval, manager sackings and relegation cast dark clouds over the Swansway Chester Stadium, much has changed in the past six weeks.

Former Salford City duo Anthony Johnson and Bernard Morley have taken the hotseat and after weeks of due diligence and back and forth from solicitors, the donation from Chester businessman Stuart Murphy has now been completed.

And on Tuesday it was revealed that the 63-year-old Majorca-based entrepreneur would be gifting the football club £1m over three years , risk free.

It is a chance for a clean break for the club and a step away from the misery of last season, according to Johnson.

"It is massive for the football club, it is a clean start for everybody," said Johnson.

"Despite the worst thing that can happen to a football club with a financial crisis and a relegation, we have come out of the other side of it. Me and Bernard have come in and there has been a big change on the playing staff.

"Hopefully the donation from Stuart will put bums on seats and see supporters buying season tickets. It is a fresh start for the football club. Me and Bernard talked about (at the CFU meeting) changing the mentality of the club and winning and losing that apathy towards the club and team that was there last season."

The vast majority of the £1m donation is to be used to help build the infrastructure of the fan-owned football club and allow it to be self sustainable for years to come, creating new revenue streams.

But Murphy also knows that there has to be some element of success in order for the whole thing to work and some money will be made available to Johnson and Morley, although it won't mean Chester will be throwing money at the budget in a myopic bid for short-term gain.

And Johnson and Morley aren't about to change their plans.

When asked if an increase in the playing budget would change their recruitment plans, Johnson said: "No, because from week one when we came in, and you will always hear me and Bernard talk this way at this stage of the season, we have got our target list. The recruitment that we wanted to get into the football club is the same group of players that it was at the start.

"What it will hopefully do is down the line, whether that be pre-season or during the season, there will be money left in the budget to make changes if and when we need it. If Stuart gives us more in the budget it isn't about spending that money immediately. You won't see any super name signings where people think 'oh hello, Chester have come into a bit of money'. That won't happen and it can't happen. The first and most important thing is that we get the players we want on the list signed up and then it is job done for us."