Kick-off had to be delayed 15 minutes owing to crowd congestion as over 2,000 fans came out in force to aid Chester FC 's cause.

Organised by broadcaster Colin Murray, ex-England and Liverpool great Michael Owen and Blues director Jeff Banks, an all-star game against a Chester Select XI featuring the likes of Ryan Lowe, Paul Carden and Wayne Brown drew in the crowds to the Swansway Chester Stadium for a memorable evening.

Since the extent of Chester's financial crisis was revealed last month at a City Fans United board meeting, Murray and Owen had pieced together a clash in aid of the Blues and getting names on board such as Neil Mellor, Jason McAteer and Ian Rush.

And the evening provided a huge boost to the Blues, raising a total of £25,000 and taking the total fund to £75,000.

And the stars who came out were only too happy to help.

"I started at Chester when was 14 and had some great memories of the club, some that I'll never forget," said former Blues striker Ian Rush, whose move to Liverpool in 1980 catapulted him to superstardom.

"It is a great thing to try and help them. Smaller clubs, you have to keep these clubs going. You have got to keep these things going, it's all about the grassroots."

And Owen, whose dad Terry played in the famous Chester side of the 1970s and took the kick off for the game with his son, was just as keen to help out.

He said: "Chester are part of my life. My Dad played here and scored quite a few goals in the process, the most famous team I’d say when they won promotion and got to the semi-finals of the League Cup.

"Colin (Murray) rang and said we’re possibly Chester’s most well-known supporters so let’s do something and I said absolutely. We decided to put a game on, ringing what felt like millions of players, and fair play the response was brilliant."

Former Chester midfielder Paul Carden, who was part of the side to win the Conference title in 2004, was pleased to be back in familiar territory.

"This club goes back a long way for me," said Carden.

"I think the main thing is, and the manager (Marcus Bignot) said it right, it is more important the club surviving than Conference status."

The match itself ended 4-1 to the Chester Select side, with Owen netting in the final minute to put the gloss on a memorable evening.