THE former top-flight footballers who have become Chester FC’s latest ‘signings’ have vowed to do everything they can to help the reborn club continue to go from strength to strength.
Ex-Everton winger Pat Nevin and former Arsenal favourite Perry Groves officially joined the Blues at half-time during last night’s clash with Trafford as part of a quirky sponsorship deal set up by Northern Irish broadcaster Colin Murray.
The Match of the Day 2 host handed over £2,000 to the club to have Nevin and Groves – regular guests on Murray’s BBC Radio 5 Live Kicking Off football show – named in Chester’s squad for every home match this season.
Although he would be ready for the call in case of an emergency, Groves told The Chronicle neither he nor Nevin are likely to ever pull on a Blues shirt. But the 45-year-old will keep an eye on the club’s progress and he promises to keep banging the drum for Chester.
“Colin’s doing the most, but I’m just pleased that Pat and myself are playing a small part in Chester resurrecting itself,” said Groves, one of the game’s great characters who remains an Arsenal fans’ favourite to this day.
“My roots are from the Fourth Division with Colchester United and I remember getting a lot of beatings at Sealand Road back in the early 80s in the days of Stuart Rimmer.
“So to come back and celebrate what Chester fans have done is fantastic.
“Me and Pat are both big fans of grassroots football. You need the grassroots and if it wasn’t for Chester, the world would not have had Ian Rush, one of the greatest finishers of all time.
“So I’m going to enjoy the night and make sure we come back later in the season because we want to keep promoting the club.
“Chester’s a beautiful city. I obviously went there when I played at Sealand Road, and I’ve been to the racecourse a couple times, but this will be my first time at the Deva, but not my last. I’ve been out with a few divas in my time but I’ve never visited the Deva!”
Murray became a big supporter of the City Fans United group that resurrected senior football in Chester after interviewing CFU media officer Jeff Banks, regularly using his Kicking Off programme to highlight their cause.
Murray, who refers to CFU as ‘The Blue Knights’, said: “Chester’s problems seemed to miss the headlines on a national level and at Five Live sport we try to represent all the fans, but in all honesty, Jeff Banks came on our show and he was a sound lad, and we just felt like it was a good project to get involved with.
“Chester is now our second team, and here’s to the future.”
Banks added: “To have the support from Colin Murray and also from Pat and Perry is fantastic.
“Despite the fact that they are going to be named as unused substitutes for the duration of the season, you never know, if things are going well on the pitch, Pat and Perry may receive a call- up from Neil Young!”
