The 2008–09 season was the 67th and final season of competitive association football in the Football League played by Chester City, an English club based in Chester, Cheshire.

Also, it was the fifth season spent in the Football League Two, after the promotion from the Football Conference in 2004. Alongside competing in the Football League the club also participated in the FA Cup, the Football League Cup and the Football League Trophy.

Season summary In 2007–08, Chester finished the season in 22nd place, only one spot above the relegation zone, on just 47 points from the 46 matches. Chester began the 2008–09 season with a squad of only 22 players and a transfer embargo, including youth team players given professional contracts just prior to the season. However, at the start of the campaign it seemed unlikely for City to get relegated, as Rotherham United and A.F.C. Bournemouth had both been deducted 17 points for rules violations before the start of the season, and Luton Town faced a 30-point penalty. A poor start to 2008–09 saw Davies sacked in November 2008 with the club out of all cup competitions and struggling in League Two. Mark Wright returned for his third spell as manager on a non-contract basis. Beset by an ongoing transfer embargo, Chester continued to struggle throughout the remainder of the campaign, and a 2–1 home defeat by Darlington on the final day of the season sealed Chester's demise and a return to non-league football after five years back in The Football League. Two weeks after the final match the club entered administration.

Football League

Results summary

Results by matchday

Matches DateOpponentsVenueResultScoreScorersAttendance9 AugustDagenham & RedbridgeAL0–61,43416 AugustWycombe WanderersHL0–21,41923 AugustRotherham UnitedAL1–3Ellison3,46230 AugustBarnetHW5–1Ellison, Lowe (2), Linwood, Roberts1,2956 SeptemberBuryHD1–1Mozika2,32713 SeptemberGrimsby TownAW3–1Ellison (3)2,95021 SeptemberShrewsbury TownHD1–1McManus2,89127 SeptemberLuton TownAD1–1McManus5,7314 OctoberLincoln CityHL0–21,96211 OctoberChesterfieldAD1–1Linwood3,04219 OctoberPort ValeHL1–2Lowe3,10221 OctoberRochdaleAL1–6McArdle (o.g.)2,16225 OctoberGillinghamAL0–24,85228 OctoberBrentfordHW3–0Lowe (2), Roberts1,3011 NovemberExeter CityAL0–24,44815 NovemberMorecambeHL1–2Johnson1,64722 NovemberAldershot TownHL0–11,65325 NovemberDarlingtonAW2–1Lowe, Kelly2,4166 DecemberAFC BournemouthAL0–14,15413 DecemberNotts CountyHW2–0Lowe, Roberts1,76720 DecemberBradford CityAD0–012,09226 DecemberAccrington StanleyHW2–0Lowe (2)2,22328 DecemberMacclesfield TownAL1–3Lowe2,21913 JanuaryLuton TownHD2–2Lowe (pen), Ellison1,65217 JanuaryChesterfieldHL1–3Mozika1,80624 JanuaryLincoln CityAD1–1Barry3,76027 JanuaryPort ValeAL0–34,44831 JanuaryGillinghamHL0–11,5413 FebruaryRochdaleHL0–21,3577 FebruaryBrentfordAL0–34,71914 FebruaryMorecambeAL1–3Wilson1,79517 FebruaryShrewsbury TownAL0–16,13321 FebruaryExeter CityHD0–01,64928 FebruaryDagenham & RedbridgeHD2–2Mannix, Roberts1,4163 MarchWycombe WanderersAL0–23,7137 MarchBarnetAL1–3Ellison2,08510 MarchRotherham UnitedHL1–5Ellison1,23514 MarchGrimsby TownHD1–1Lowe2,83621 MarchBuryAD1–1Lowe3,04928 MarchBradford CityHD0–02,7354 AprilNotts CountyAW2–1Mannix, Lowe4,02511 AprilMacclesfield TownHL0–22,24813 AprilAccrington StanleyAW1–0Lowe (pen)1,10018 AprilAFC BournemouthHL0–23,34925 AprilAldershot TownAD2–2Lowe, Ellams3,1002 MayDarlingtonHL1–2Miller (o.g.)1,945

FA Cup

RoundDateOpponentsVenueResultScoreScorersAttendanceFirst round8 NovemberMillwall (3)HL0–31,932

Football League Cup

RoundDateOpponentsVenueResultScoreScorersAttendanceFirst round12 AugustLeeds United (3)HL2–5Lowe (2)3,644

Football League Trophy

RoundDateOpponentsVenueResultScoreScorersAttendanceSecond round7 OctoberMorecambe (4)HL1–1(p.1–3)Ellison926

Season statistics

Player Total League FACup LeagueCup FLTrophy Goalkeepers John Danby44–41 – 1 – 1 – 1 – James Spencer5–5 – – – – – – – Field players Anthony Barry41+5138+511 – 1 – 1 – Paul Butler2–1 – – – 1 – – – Tony Dinning3+1–3+1 – – – – – – – Lloyd Ellams2+212+21 – – – – – – Kevin Ellison4293981 – 1 – 11 Jay Harris25+8–24+7 – 1 – 0+1 – – – Mark Hughes27+1–25+1 – 1 – – – 1 – Eddie Johnson8+317+311 – – – – – Ben Jones2+13–2+13 – – – – – – – Shaun Kelly23+5123+41 – – 0+1 – – – Paul Linwood4624321 – 1 – 1 – Ryan Lowe47+11845161 – 120+1 – David Mannix11+3210+32 – – 1 – – – Paul McManus7+326+32 – – – – 1 – Damien Mozika24+1221+121 – 1 – 1 – James Owen4+3–4+3 – – – – – – – Richie Partridge17+13–15+13 – – – 1 – 1 – Kristian Platt0+1–0+1 – – – – – – – Kevin Roberts4644441 – – – 1 – Glenn Rule18+4–18+4 – – – – – – – Paul Rutherford5+15–5+14 – 0+1 – – – – – Paul Smith0+5–0+5 – – – – – – – Paul Taylor2+8–2+7 – – – – – 0+1 – Stephen Vaughan7+1–7+1 – – – – – – – James Vaughan45–42 – 1 – 1 – 1 – Laurence Wilson36+113410+1 – 1 – 1 – Own goals – 2 – 2 – – – – – – Total 49 46 46 43 1 – 1 2 1 1

References

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