IN a turbulent week at the Deva Stadium Chester City have parted company with assistant manager Steve Bleasdale and cancelled their Conference victory parade scheduled for tonight.
Bleasdale, who rejoined Wright in 2002 from Southport where he was in charge of the reserve team, was shown the door by chairman Stephen Vaughan on Wednesday following 'a difference of opinion and another internal matter'.
Vaughan wasn't prepared to elaborate, but thanked Bleasdale, who was not contracted to the club, for the work he had done and wished him well.
Manager Mark Wright is on holiday and is expected to seek a new assistant when he returns next week. Said Vaughan: 'I will be talking to Mark about an assistant. This is a big job and people will be queuing up for it.'
The chairman also revealed that he hopes Wright will sign a new contract on his return to the Deva. Wright declined to sign earlier this year, but has been offered an improved three-year deal as City look forward to a return to the Football League.
Summers of discontent are nothing new to Chester City and the fans, still buoyed by the Conference championship triumph, will be dismayed that the close season has got off to such a negative start.
City called off their eagerly-awaited bus tour of the city on Tuesday when it was found that only three players were available. Plans to show the trophy from the town hall steps had already been shelved for safety reasons.
And a £50-a-head presentation dinner at the Moat House Hotel, Chester, scheduled for a week today, has also been cancelled because of a lack of interest.
Scarborough have rejected a five-figure bid from Chester for winger Keith Gilroy. The York-shire club confirmed yesterday that Gilroy is contracted to them for another season and City's offer was below their valuation.
Chester have also been linked with 34-year-old Scott Green, who was with Telford United last season.
Shaun Carey, who has been released by Chester, has signed for Hornchurch, now managed by ex-Dagenham boss Garry Hill. Chester have applied for membership of the Pontin's Holidays League as a step up from the Lancashire League.
If they are accepted into Division One (West) they would be playing clubs including Wrexham, Rochdale and Bury and this could mean City ending their arrangement with Liverpool reserves who have played at the Deva for the last two seasons.
The reserves drew 0-0 with Burscough on Monday and completed their season with a 3-1 win at Bradford Park Avenue on Wednesday with goals by Tommy Leonard, Darren Byers and Matty Cook.
Ben Davies is playing for Wales in the National Game home countries tournament in Scotland next week. Other City players Phil Bolland, Danny Collins, Scott Guyett and Paul Carden withdrew from the England squad because of injuries.
