Getting the passion back in following Chester City

By Chester City Exiles on Oct 15, 09 03:48 PM in

This time last week I said that for this blog to be more uplifting I needed Chester to get three points against Rushden as well as a decent draw in the 4th qualifying round of the FA Cup. Well, you know what's coming next.....

First Chester lost at home to Rushden and had two players sent off. Then Lady luck didn't bring them a good cup draw either - a tie away at Barrow does not exactly fire my imagination.

I'm actually beginning to wonder if I'm a jinx, or perhaps that's true of all City supporters these days. Does anyone know of any other existing team who is having it harder than us?........No, I thought not.

I actually started my Chester-supporting career during what I thought was a time of real adversity - when City were exiled at Macclesfield. Although it was a crisis era, the fans, players and management were passionate and united - and that was what made the matches all the more thrilling for me.

That united front of passion seems to have all but disappeared these days. Although I've yet to attend a home match this season from what I hear, they sound like depressing and soul-less affairs. They're hardly tempting for any half-interested football fan who wants to kill a couple of hours, and just may return if he or she enjoys the experience.

The impending launch of City Fans United couldn't have come at a better time and I hope everyone gets onboard. The Exiles committee have been talking all week about what we can do to help. It could be our last chance to play a part in keeping our club alive.

Meanwhile, another aspect of my City-supporting life got back underway this week. Yes, the Chester Exiles darts season is about to begin, and we kicked off this week with a pre-season friendly against a West End pub team who randomly found us after an internet search.

The fixture was at our home pub, the City Retreat (honest, that really is its name) and although we lost 7-4 we didn't disgrace ourselves. To make it even better, yours truly started the season well with the winning dart in the opening team game to give us a 1-0 lead.

Next up in the darts is a League Three game against the exiles of Plymouth Argyle. Before that, there's the matter of Chester playing away at Gateshead on Saturday. I've got used to feeling pessimistic about almost every Chester game this season. Come on boys, prove me wrong this time!